: 127 
.B7 N56 
lopv 1 



STATE OF NEW YORK. 



No. 100. 



IN ASSEMBLY, 

March 31, 1880. 



REPOKT 



OF THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY ON THE BOUND- 
ARY LINES OF THE STATE, AND THE RE-SURVEY OF 
THE JOINT NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA LINE. 

University of the State of New York, 
Office of the Regents, 

Albany, March 30, 1880. 

To the Hon. George H. Sharpe, Speaker of the Assembly : 

Sir — I have the honor to communicate the accompanying report 
of the Regents of the University as to tlieir proceedings during the 
year 1879, under the act of May 26, 1875, entitled "An act in regard 
to the boundary monuments of the State." 

Very respectfully yours, 

E. C. BENEDICT, 
Chancellor of the University. 

[Assem. Doc. No. 100. J 1 



REPORT. 



To the Honorable the Legislatiire of the State of New York : 

The R'egents of the University respectfully submit the following 
continued report of their proceedings, under the act chupter 424 of 
the Laws of 1875, authorizing and requiring an "■ examination {is to 
the true location of the monuments which mark the several bounda- 
ries of tlie State." 

The execution of this duty has involved, as a preliminary work, the 
compilation of all official records relating to the original establish- 
ment of these boundary lines, as particularly required by the Senate 
resolution of April 19, 1807. 

The results thus far of this branch of the work, whicla is not yet 
completed, are embodied in two reports to the Legislature, one being 
Senate document No. 108 of 1873, and the other Senate document No. 
•il of 1877. These two volumes, containing nearly 700 pages, are the 
only collection of the hitherto scattered and fragmentary records of 
the erection of the boundary lines of the State, and of the changes 
which have from time to time been made in its territorial extent. 

This preliminary and general investigation, begun more than ten 
years ago, supplied the information needed for the field-work already 
done upon individual lines, and will be equally in demand whenever 
other lines are retraced. 

Although this preliminary investigation is of the nature of office 
work, it cannot be carried on wholly within the office of the Regents, 
or the State library, but must be extended to the records in the office 
of the Secretary of State, mostly those in the Historical Record 
room in the third story of the State Hall, from which they are not 
allowed to be taken. 

This work must also be extended, by correspondence or otherwise, 
to the official records of other localities, including not only the cap- 
itals of neighboring States, but also Washington and London. While 
this work does not require, except incidentally, the co-operation of 
authorities of adjacent States, it must embrace their official records 
and territorial claims equally with our own ; and must be conducted, 
not in an ex parte spirit and manner, but with judicial impartialitv. 

The second part of the work in question is that of causing, in con- 
nection with authorities of adjacent States, the joint boundary lines 
to be retraced, with the view of ascertaining where they are and what 
is the cozidition of the monuments or land-marks ; also, finally, to 
take such action as will result in the erection of enduring land-marks 
on the sites where they properly belong, according to the just rights 
antl inheritances of the respective States. 

The work of investigation done during the past season has had 
reference partly to the Connecticut boundary line, for the sake of 
furnishing the commissioners lately appointed by the two States all 



4 [Assembly 

the information needed for tlie final settlement of points long in dis- 
pute. 

The principal work remaining to complete the historic researches 
is upon the New Jersey line. A large amount of MS. material has 
been collected, but the same is yet to be completed and printed — pro- 
vision for the printing liaving already been made by the Legislature. 

The field-work done during the past year has been upon the Penn- 
sylvania line, in co-operation with the commissioners of that State, 
and in continuation and completion of the reconnaissance begun in 
1877. Full details of the field-work are given in the annexed reports 
of the surveyor in charge. 

The Legislature of Pennsylvania having failed in 1878 to make an 
appropriation to replace advances made in 1877, by the Regents, and 
having delayed until June, 1879, to make up the deficiency and pro- 
vide for further expenses of the work, the resumption of field opera- 
tions was hindered until mid-summer. For this reason it has not 
been possible to make an earlier report of the work of the season. 

As soon as was practicable after the requisite ai^propriation had been 
made by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, to wit, on the 26th day of 
June last, a meetmg of the joint commissioners of the two States was 
held at Clifton Springs. Cols. Worrall and Gere of the Pennsylvania 
branch of the commission were present, and Regents Leavenworth 
and Pierson of the Regents' Committee appeared in behalf of this 
State, accompanied by Assistant Secretary Pratt and Surveyor Clarke. 
At this meeting, the account current between the two States was set- 
tled and the plan of operation for the season was substantially ar- 
ranged. This was to include the reconnaissance of about fifteen miles 
of line between Cattaraugus and McKean counties, omitted last year, 
and a review of the work of 1877, between the Delaware and Susque- 
hanna rivers. At the solicitation of the Pennsylvania commissioners, 
it was also agreed, in case satisfactory arrangements could be made 
with the officers of the U. S. Coast Survey, that a number of latitude 
determinations, additional to those of 1877, should be made for the 
purpose of showing to what extent the line westward from the Dela- 
ware river corresponds, or fails to correspond, with its original descrip- 
tion, as being along the astronomical parallel of forty-two degrees of 
north latitude. The proposals made by the officers of the Coast Sur- 
vey were accepted after a careful consideration as to the propriety and 
importance of these latitude determinations, and the work has been 
ticcomplished at consid<^n"ably less than the authorized expense. 

The examination which the Regents were directed, by the Senate 
resolution of April 19, 1867, to make "as to the condition and true 
location of monuments which mark the several boundaries of the 
State, and to ascertain whether any and what action may be needed to 
preserve or renew them," shows that many of the original monu- 
ments and land-marks upon several of these lines, and especially upon 
the borders of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, cannot now be found 
and that their sites are unknown ; that many others are in a dilapi- 
dated condition and liable to be destroyed by the elements or by per- 
sons not knowing or regarding their value ; and that to the full extent 
to which clearly defined and durably marked boundaries are necessary, 
it is important that prompt measures be taken, in connection with the 



No. 100.] 5 

authorities of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, respectively, to replace any 
monuments which have become dilapidated or been removed, on the 
boundary line of these States," as authorized by chapter 424 of the 
Laws of "1875. 

In view of the fact that the original lines fail to correspond with the 
description by which they were intended to be located, the New 
Jersey and Pennsylvania commissioners urge that the lines ought to 
be rectified, under such joint legislation as may be necessary, before 
the erection of any monuments is undertaken ; but as the Pennsylva- 
nia Legislature, under the recently adopted system of biennial sessions, 
does not meet this year, no final joint action of the two States can be 
taken this year. The Board of Regents regard themselves as having 
discharged their duty, for the present at least, when they state the 
facts, leaving the Legislature to determine what, if any, further action 
should be taken after full and careful consideration of all the ques- 
tions involved. 

A statement of receipts and expenditures for the period from Feb- 
ruary 1, 1.879, to March 1, 1880, is hereto annexed. 

All of which is respectfully submitted. 

E. (J. BENEDICT, 

Chancellor of the University. 
David Murray, Secretary. 

Account Current. 

Regents of the University of the State of New York, in account 
with appropriation for boundaries {March 1, 1879, to March 1, 1880.) 

Dr. For balance in the treasury, at date of last report. . 11,116 38 
For amount reimbursed by Pennsylvania, on ac- 
count of advances by the Regents, to June 26, 
1879 ' 3,092 99 



,209 37 



Cr. By expenditures, as per vouchers, to wit: 

Salary of H. W. Clarke, surveyor, parts of two years, ^2,150 00 

Transportation of surveyor, and expenses of assist- 
ants, including wages, transportation and supplies, 1,130 48 

Expenses of surveyor, including expressage, postage, 
stationery, telegrams, tools, office rent and miscel- 
laneous 136 68 

Expenses ot Regents' committee and secretary in at- 
tendance upon meetings of joint commission, and 
miscellaneous '. . . . 

MS. copy for vol. II of Report on Boundaries . 

United States Coast Survey 

Overpayment to H. W. Clarke, applicable to subse- 
quent accounts 

Balance in bank 





56 


03 




67 


92 




329 


84 
19 




338 


23 


u 


,209 


37 



SURVEYOR'S REPORTS. 



REPORT OF PROGRESS FOR 1879. 



New York axb Pein'nsylvania Boundary Survey, ) 

Syracuse, 1 January, 1880. ) 

Dr. S. B. Woolworth, LL.D., Secretary of the Board of Regents 

of tJie University of the State of New York .• 

Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report of opera- 
tions during the past season upon the Boundary. 

H. W. CLARKE, Civil Engineer, 

Surveyor on the part of JVew York. 

REPORT. 

By the resolution of the Joint Commission, passed 26 June, at the 
meeting at Clifton Springs,* I was requested, in conjunction with 
Colonel Gere of the Pennsylvania Commission, to first complete the 
field-work upon the portion omitted in the season of 1878, and then 
make such review of the eastern portion as we might consider neces- 
sary. 

Although at the date of that meeting, I was ready at once to take 
the field with my party, I found that Colonel Gere would be unable 
to join me for some little time ; therefore active field operations were 
delayed, by agreement with him, until 8 July, when the party assem- 
bled at Limestone, Cattaraugus county, New York. In the mean- 
time, I had spent several days at the county seats of Cattaraugus and 
McKean counties, and at Clean, Bradford and Limestone, in consult- 
ing records and individuals, to gain all the information practicable, 
relative to that portion of the Boundary. Very little of practical 
value was obtained. Tlie only notes upon which any reliance can be 
placed are the original field-notes of tlie Holland Land Company's 
surveys in New York, memoranda from wliich I iiad already obtained 
at Albany and Batavia, New York. 

Tile day after tlie party assembled at Limestone was taken up in 
preparations for the continuation of the survey west from where it 
was suspended 31 August, 1878. Mile-stone 167, which was found in 
1878 lying in a mud hole, and temporarily set up, was moved into 
line between mile-stone 165 and the seventh latitude stone, and more 
permanently fixed in place. 

* Resolved, That Colonel Gere and Captain Clarke be requested to continue 
the work of the reconnaissance, completing first the gap of fifteen miles between 
Cattaraugus and McKean counties, and then make such review of the work already 
done as may be desirable nnd necessary in their judgment to enable the Commis- 
sion to represent the whole matter as perfectly as possible to the l^egislatures of 
the two States; completing the work l)y the first of October next if possible. 



[Assembly, No. 100.] 7 

As there were no settlements convenient to the line, except at the 
extremities of the unsarveyed portion, and as there seemed to be no 
roads by which it could be easily reached, I had made partial arrange- 
ments for camping out upon the line. Finding, however, that 
there existed old roads through the woods, and over the various 
divides, by means of which the work could be reached without a great 
deal of inconvenience, and being satisfied that to carry out the plan 
of camping would require a larger party, and for the brief time it 
would be necessary, there would be no practical saving of time or 
expense, the idea was abandon(^d, quarters were established at Lime- 
stone, and a good team engaged; by means of which the party was 
readily transported to and from the line. The sequel shows that it was 
fortunate that the other plan was given up. For the first three weeks 
we were constantly interrupted by showers and hard rains, and camp 
life in the damp woods would have proved not only disagreeable and 
nncomfortable, but dangerous to the health of members of the party. 

Thursday, 10th July, the party proceeded to the point upon the west 
side- of Tuna Valley at which operations were suspended the year 
before, and commenced retracing the line westward by prolonging the 
random transit line upon which I had closed the former survey. 
This line passed 33 feet north of the mile-stone 168, which was found 
as described in my report of last winter. The position of this stone 
with reference to a westward prolongation of a line drawn through 
mile-stone 165 and the seventh latitude stone, shows a deflection in 
the original boundary toward the north, at the latitude stone, of 
nearly 1° 40'. The marked boundary continues in the same general 
direction about three miles. 

West of 168 the survey was carried on upon the same plan as dur- 
ing the previous season, by a series of transit lines, all changes in 
direction being carefully measured by offsets. No use Avas made of 
the needle, although an occasional bearing was taken as a matter of 
information. With this explanation, I will proceed to a description of 
the condition of this section of the line and the monuments upon it. 

CON^DITIOfiT OF THE BOUNDARY AND MONUMENTS. 

Mile-stone 168 stands upon the south side of a cove or recess in the 
side of a high, sharp ridge, and is evidently undisturbed. About 300 
feet west of it the field-notes of the Bingham estate, in possession of 
R. C. Simpson, Esq., of Wellsboro, Penn., of surveys in Pennsylva- 
nia (1802), describes a cucumber tree as the north-west corner of the 
Bingham lands in McKean county. This tree is also mentioned in 
the Keating field-notes of 1808, as the north-east corner of the Keat- 
ing lands. The blackened stump and fallen trunk of this tree yet 
remain. 

Mile-stone 169 was not found. Its place is upon the south-west 
side of the summit of a high, steep ridge, on the north side of the 
valley of Bolivar Brook. There is no mention of this stone in the 
Holland Land Company's notes. 

About 1,860 feet west of this point, the south-east witness tree of 
the 4 1-2 mile-stake of the Holland Land Company's original survey 
of the 6th range, was identified, as well as the original north-west 



8 [Assembly 

witness to a section corner of the second series of the same company's 
surveys. 

Mile-stone 170 was'not found. It was located by the second series 
of the Holland Land Company's surveys. Its place is in open timber, 
upon a very steep north-easterly slope, southerly side of the valley of 
Bolivar brook, and about 600 feet west of the latter whei'e it crosses the 
line. The side-hill is somewhat wet, and a stone, unless quite firmly 
set, would hardly remain near its place for 90 years. 

About 480 feet west of this point, both origiual witness trees of a 
Holland Land Company's section corner were identified, and the cor- 
ner stake replaced from the old notes. 

About 4,000 feet further west, and 548.5 east of mile-stone 171, 
stands the stone monument which marks the starting point of the 
" Western Transit Meridian " of the Holland Land Company's Sur- 
vey. The three original witness trees were undoubtedly identified, 
and by reference to these the stone, although loosely set, seems to 
stand where originally placed. It stands with its faces toward the east 
and west. It is marked, east side: 

«' HOLLAND LAND 

C". 
Southwest Corner 
Eange N". 6." 



West side 



South edge, 



North edge, 

and upon the top, 



"W. & J. WILLINK, 

li p " 

N°. 1." 
" Var 1 W. ''%l\" 



At this stone there appears to be another abrupt deflection in the 
monument line, this time toward the right (north) nearly as great 
as that at the seventh latitude stone. Beyond this point the mon- 
ument line continues without marked deviations for seven or eight 
miles. 

Mile-stone 171 was found standing, firmly embedded in the ground, 
leaning toward the south. It is a thin trapezoidal stone, of medium size. 
A discrepancy in the position of this stone appears in the original field- 
notes. By the original township notes of the Holland Land Com- 
pany at Albany (1798-9), it was 6.33 chains west from the transit- 
stone. Bv the Company's original section field-notes, in the hands of 
David E.'E. Mix, C. E., at Batavia, it was 7.65 chains west of the 
same point. The distance now measures 8.31 chains. The mile-stone 
and transit-stone both stand upon a nearly level plateau, upon whicii 
much of the original timber yet stands. 

Mile-stone 172 Avas discovered after a considerable search lying upon 
its south face, with its west edge toward the north. It was set up tem- 
porarily where found. This stone was noted in the Holland Land Com- 



No. 100.] 9 

pany's section notes (but not in tlie original township notes), as 30 chains 
west of the soutli-east corner of section 9. The latter corner I was unable 
to identify. This would make its distance 80.35 chains west of mile- 
stone 171, and 85.06 chains east of mile-stone 173, whach is also men- 
tioned in the old notes. The distance between 171 and 173, by my 
measurement, varies but 24 links ( + ) from the original notes, and 172 
was found at a point nearly equi-distant from them. It seems evident 
that mile-stone 172 has been moved west for some purpose. The dis- 
tance of the stone east from the south-west corner of the Willink 
Strip conlirms this idea. 

The latter coi'uer is indicated by a small, rough, irregular stone. It 
was found standing upright, loosely supported by a snuill pile of other 
stones, and completely embedded in loose moss. It is marked, east 
side, " H. L. C"." West side, " W. & J. W." 

No witnesses to this corner are given in the field notes of the Hol- 
land Land Company, and I therefore had no means of verifying its 
position. 

Mile-stone 173 stands firmly in the ground, and is evidently undis- 
turbed in its original position. It is a thick and tolerably regular 
stone, rudely ins(u-ibed. 

Distant 4,448 feet west from this I was enal)led to replace the 3-mile 
post of the original Holland Land Comiiany's survey, bv reference to 
the original witness trees, all of which were standing and in good con- 
dition. 

Mile-stone 174 was found lying upon its south face, top toward the 
south-east, in a small depression. Two large hemlocks near by bear 
old witness marks. No mention of this stone is made in the Holland 
Land Company's notes. It is a large, heavy stone, somewhat irregu- 
lar in. shape and rudely marked ; it was set up where found. 

At the distance of 4,260 feet west of this mile-stone, still stand the 
three witness trees of the 4-mile jiost of the Holland Land Company's 
survey of range VIL 

Mile-stone 175 is near the foot of a stecj) south-westerly slope, on the 
northerly side of the valley of Quaker Run. It is a large stone 
about 8 inches thick, the bottom being almost a point. It was found 
in a horizontal position, its foot solidly embedded in the hillside, its 
top projecting south over the edge of a hummock, and covered with 
moss. There is no record of this stone in the original field-notes. 

The corner of the towns of Bradford and Corydon, in McKean 
county, Penn., is about 1,000 feet west of this stone, but is unmarked. 

Two of the original witness trees, and the stump of the third, to 
which the Holland Land Company's 5 mile-post was referred, still 
remain, about 4,110 feet west of mile-stone 175. 

Mile-stone 176 was found lying upon its south face, its foot embedded 
in soil and moss. This stone is mentioned in the second series of the 
Holland Land Company's field-notes. Its position is upon a southerly 
sl()i)c, and two large beeches near it bear old witness marks. The stone 
IS rough and very rudely inscribed. 

About 1,410 feet west of this stone, upon the bottom land of Quaker 
Run valley, stand two of the original witness trees of the 5^^ mile- 
post of the Holland Land Company's survey, and by measurement 
[Assem. Doc. No. 100.] 3 



10 [Assembly 

from tliese trees I discovered the evident remains of the original white- 
ash post, in a hole distincMy formed by the roots of trees which had 
grown around the post before it decayed. 

Two of the original witness trees of the 6 mile-post are yet standing, 
about 2,640 feet farther west. 

Mile-stone 177 was not found, after a thorough search. I was in- 
formed that it had been seen, but was broken down by a fallen tree. 
A temporary stake was set in the line of marked tree. A little east, 
and south of this line, stands a large hemlock with witness marks 
upon the north side. I am now of the opinion that the stake is con- 
siderably too far north, and it is possible that the remains of the stone 
may yet be in existence. No mention is made of this stone in the 
Holland Land Company's notes. 

About 140 feet east of this point is the corner of two original land 
districts in Pennsylvania. In the district east of the corner, the 
original wari'ant surveys were based upon the State line, and Penn- 
sylvania surveyors have had no difficulty in finding the Boundary. In 
the district west, between the district line and the Allegany river, the 
warrant surveys were based upon a line starting east from the river, sev- 
eral miles south of the Boundary; and the north tier of warrants, with 
the exception of a strip along the south side four to eight rods in 
width, was laid out within the limits of the Holland Land Company's 
Purchase in New York. The holders of the warrants, upon finding them 
so nearly absorbed by a prior title, abandoned them, and until within 
a comparatively few years the real State line seems to have been lost 
sight of, the wan-ant line just south of it being preserved by the 
owners of the remaining warrants. In 1873 the McKean and Warren 
County Line Commission referred to in my last report (p. 13), by dii'ec- 
tion of the "Pennsylvania Legislature, retraced this portion of the 
State Boundary and found all the mile-stones, excejit 177 and 184. 
The gore between the two lines was taken up by the owners of the 
adjoining warrants by tax title, but the old warrant line still remains, 
at points more plainly marked than the Boundary. At one point in 
particular, for a half mile east of mile-stone 179, I found my ran- 
dom line following — north of— a line of distinctly marked trees 
which, from having previously passed close upon mile-stone 178, I took 
for Boundary line-trees. But after finding the former mile-stone con- 
siderably to the north, and identifying the Holland Land Company's 
witness trees, east of it, I was satisfied that the line I had unconsciously 
run across was the old warrant line. 

The coi-ner between the towns of Eed House and South Valley, 
Cattaraugus county. New Yoi'k (township 1, ranges VII and VIII 
II. L. Co. Survey), is marked by a stake surrounded by a large pile of 
stones, in a deep ravine, about 2,750 feet east of mile-stone 178. Two 
of the original witness trees still remain. 

Mile-stone 178 stands upright and firmly held by roots of trees 
which liave grown around it. This was the last stone found by the 
County Line Commission. It is at the brow of a steep north-easterly 
slope, and stands as that Commission found it. The stone is noted in 
the first series of the Holland Land Company's field-notes. 

Two of the original witness trees of the Holland Land Company's 
5 mile-post on range VIII yet remain, about 2,500 feet west of this 



No. 100.] 11 

mile-stone; and about eighty feet farther west stand both the original 
witnesses to a section corner of the same company's land. 

Mile-stone 179 stands firmly and upright, but somewhat askew, as 
left by the County Ijine Commission. It is upon level ground a short 
distance east of the east branch of Wolf Run, and just north of a 
small brook. The upper part of the stone is quite regalar in shape 
and the inscriptions were more carefully carved than those upon most 
of the stones upon this section. It is not mentioned in the Holland 
Land Company's field-notes. 

Mile-stone 180 stands as left by the County Lino Commission. It is 
a thin, tolerably regular stone, very rudely marked, and stands upon 
the steep east side of the deep narrow valley of a branch of Wolf Rnn. 
No mention is made of it in the Holland Land Company's notes. 

Near this stone the monument line takes another sharp deflection 
to the right (north), and follows the new general direction, to the 
Allegany river, where there is a slight deflection to the left (south). 

Mile"-stone 181 is a large stone, quite regular in shape and stands 
firmly upright as left by the County Line Commission. It is mentioned 
in the Holland Land Company's notes, and was found by the County 
Line Commission ai)parently in place. 

West of this, at a distance of 2,224 feet, stands a stone post sur- 
rounded by a pile of stones, intended to mark a Holland Land Com- 
pany's section corner.. It does not correspond with the proper point 
as indicated by the original witness trees, one of which and the stump 
of the other remain. 

Mile-stone 182 was found standing upright, well embedded in the 
ground, and supported by flat stones. It was discovered lying upon the 
ground in 1873, by the County Line Commission, and was set up by them 
in line with such old marks as they could identify. The timber upon 
the surrounding land is nearly all second growth, and fire has run 
through some portions of it. Old marks are rare, the only well-defined 
one being upon a large, fire-blackened oak, 188 feet west of the mile- 
stone, which evidently had been " blocked " to identify the marks. 
Mile-stone 182 is mentioned in the first series of the Holland Land 
Company's field-notes. 

The corner of McKean and Warren counties in Pennsylvania is 
297 feet west of mile-stone 182. It is marked by a large stake set in 
a pile of stones by the County Line Commission. It is considerably 
north of the line of marked trees, and of the line of the mile-stone 
and old oak mentioned above 

Near mile-stone 183 the survey was connected with the work of the 
previous season west of the wilderness. 

Mile-stones 183, 184 and 185 were found as left in September, 1878. 

Early last spring I received information that the iron monuments 
set by direction of the Commissioner of the U. S. General Land 
Office, to make the corners of the Allegany Indian Reservation, and 
which I could not find in 1878 (see Report for 1878, page 16), having 
been surreptitiously removed, had been returned to their places by 
some unknown process. I found them on reaching the locality. 
They are hollow, cylindrical east-iron jwsts, about 5 feet long and 
7 inches in diameter, with solid heads and flanged foot. That at the 
south-east corner is in the wagon track of a highway, and projects but 



12 [Assembly 



three or four inches above the surface. Tluit at the south-west corner 
stands close beside a large stump, and is set very loosely, uot more 
than 6 or 8 inches in the ground. The latter monument is, I think, 
too far north. The inscription upon one side of it is : 



" 29 

U. S. Survey, 

Act of 

Congress, 

Feb. 19, 1875. 

Grrant, 
President. 



U, S. Comrs, 
Jos. Scattergood, 

Jno. Mauley, 
Henry Shanklin ' 
and upon the opposite side, 

" Treaty 
1794. 

Washington 
President. 



Allegany 

Indian 

Eeservation." 

The inscription upon the others is tiie same, with the exception of 
the number. When these monuments were replaced I could not learn, 
but it probably was done as quietly as they were abstracted.* 

Upon the portion of the Boundary lying between the Tunaunguantf 
creek and Allegany River, I found an unusnal number of the original 
witness trees to mile-posts and section corners of the Holland Land 
Company's surveys. And the reason of this is that very little of the 
original timber, except the pine, has been disturbed. A few of the 
hill sides, particularly in the Allegany Valley, were thickly covered 
with pine trees, some of them of enormous growth, but these have 
nearly all been cleared off, and instead have grown up thick groves of 
small trees and bushes, through some of which Ore has run. Farther 
east are some sections thickly covered. with large hemlocks which are 
gradually being slashed down for their bark. 

Upon the, portion of the Boundary retraced by the County Line Com- 

* I suspect that these; monuments, for some reason which it is unnecessary to 
specify, may not have originally been set by the government employes, until I 
had instituted the inijuiries as to their whereabouts. 

f In the llollaiul Land Company's fiidd-books this name is spelled Tunaunguan. 
Familiarly it is known as Tuna. In the field-notes of the Keating estate (1801) it 
is spelled Tunemengwant, Tunonmegont and Tunonmaguont. C. D. Webster, 
Esq., civil engineer, of Bradford, Penn., found it Ischunuongvvandt in some old 
notes. On the original boundary map it is spelled Cheueouguaont. A hotel in 
Limestone is inscribed in bold letters Tunungwant. 



No. 100.] 13 

mission in 1873, extending from the Allegany river east to mile-stone 
178, the monuments found are undoubtedly as left by the Commission. 
Of the contlition in wliich they were found by them, I have very little 
definite inlormation. 'J'he surveyor, one of the Commissioners, retained 
no notes, and had to depend u[)on a very poor memory for such infor- 
mation as he afforded me. The return of the survey, which the law 
required to be deposited in the Register's office, I was unable to find. 
It probably would not have enlightened me upon this point. 

Col. Gere remained vvith the party at Limestone about a week and 
left for home. He joined us again at Corydon, Warren county, Penn., 
a few days before this portion of the survey was completed. 

Having finished tjje survey of this section, upon 14 August, the 
party was allowed to separate temporarily, and Col. Gere and myself 
returned home for a little rest, and to await further orders. 

Eeview of the Eastern Section. 

At the commencement of the survey in 1877, no one foresaw the 
eccentricities which were discovered in the Boundary. The original 
survey was known to have been made with the use of a compass, but 
from the character of the gentlemen engaged upon it, it was supposed 
to have been made with care and accuracy, and that all that was required 
in retracing it would be to follow the line, using the needle where 
necessary to keep the direction upon portions which were blind, meas- 
uring the distances by chaining in order to find the successive monu- 
ments more readily. 

The east five miles, upon which no monuments were known to 
remain, and which at many points seemed to be much in doubt, was 
quite carefully run in 1877, with compass, starting from a known 
monument, east to the Delaware river, and temporarily mile points 
placed. No trace of mile-stone 1 could be discovered, nor did we find any 
satisfactory indication of the old line at the river. The random line was 
extended to the left bank of the river, and a pier erected above the 
railroad for the use of the astronomical party. This was afterward 
found by the latter to be 269 feet north of the parallel of 42°. The 
variation of the needle, whieli was assumed after consulting good local 
authority, was after >ard found to be some 20 minutes too small, and 
the result, in the light of I'urther experiences upon the survey, was far 
from satisfactory to us, or to other gentlemen with whom we con- 
sulted. 

From mile-stone 5 to the site of mile-stone 23, several intervals were 
left untraced, where the monuments were known, and accepted as in 
place ; a few intervals were roughly run, the instrument being used 
mainly as a guide in following the line, while the remainder was quite 
carefully run in order to replace several lost points. This portion I 
was quite certain would need to be re-run before any satisfactory con- 
clusion could be arrived at. The portion between mile-stones 11 and 
15 particularly required re-examination on account of the fault men- 
tioned at page 21 in my report for 1877. 

The section between mile-stones 23 and 40 was carefully retraced 
with the compass, but at several intervals the results were so unsatis- 
factory as to throw doubt upon the whole, and to thoroughly convince 
us that the needle was a very uncertain guide in such an important 



14 [Assembly 

work. Beyond mile-stone 40 the survey was carried on without the 
US'' of the needle, except in occasional instances. The results were 
much more satisfactory, and this proved to be the only method by 
which the peculiarities of the Boundary could be developed. I was 
thoroughly convinced that we knew very little about the real condi- 
tion of the eastern portion of the Boundary. 

I had myself formed no definite plan as to the extent to which the 
review should be carried, except as to the section between mile-stones 
6 and 19, which it was necessary to resurvey entirely, leaving the 
amount of further re-examination to depend upon the developments 
upon this section. Col. Gere had occasionally expressed an opinion 
during the progress of the survey, the previous season, that the greater 
part, if not all, of the compass work of 1877 should be re-run in the 
same manner in which the survey upon the western portion of the 
Boundary was carried forward. 

Alter a few days of much-needed rest, I arranged to meet Col. Gere 
at Lanesboro, Susquehanna county, Penn. , and ordered my party to 
assemble there, preparatory to resuming active operations in the field. 
Col. Gere, I found, after reaching the place, was detained at home by 
business matters, and rather than allow my party to remain idle, upon 
2(3 August, I proceeded to the summit of the high ridge between 
the Susquehanna river and Cascade valley, and projected a random 
transit line upon offsets north 10 feet from mile-stone 11 and the east 
Eiver monument (see sketch No. 3, Eeport of 1877), and extended it 
west of the river. 

I had the day before received information from Col. Worrall, and 
the Coast Survey office, that Mr. Edwin Smith, Assistaiit U. S. Coast 
and Geodetic Survey, who had been detailed to make another series of 
observations for latitude, was on his way to the Boundary, and desired 
to meet us at Waverly. Accordingly, leaving my party upon the line, 
I went to Susquehanna, where 1 fortunately met Col. Gere, and, ac- 
comi)anied by him, proceeded to Waverly, where we found Mr. Smith 
awaiting us. The next day was spent in consultation with him, and 
a series of stations was fixed upon. I shall refer to them more in de- 
tail further on. 

Returning with Col. Gere to Lanesl)oro, after a short consultation 
with him, I resumed work upon the line. Col. Gere remained with us 
but a day or two, leaving rather suddenly, and as I supposed and ex- 
pected, with the intention of returning in the course of a week or 
more. 

The transit line I had projected was continued west to the summit 
of the ridge west of mile-stone 16. Then, returning to mile-stone 11, 
it was extended eastward beyond mile-stone 5. Offsets were meas- 
ured to all monuments and corners, and to the stakes set two years before, 
most of which were found undisturbed. Progress was frequently im- 
peded by fresh windfalls, and hemlock slashings. These, together 
with the prolific briars and thick bushes, ren'dered the work more 
tedious and perplexing than it was two years previously. 

A comparison of tlie various compass randoms of 1877 with, the 
new transit line exhibited such peculiarities in the compass work, 
that I decided, upon my own responsibility. Col. Gere not having yet 
returned, to extend the re-survey east to the Delaware. 



No. 100.] 15 

Assuming as an initial line a portion of the compass line east of 
mile-stone 5, about one-fourth mile in length, I projected it rapidly 
and carefully eastward by transit, measuring ottseis to the various 
points noted in 1877, and terminating it in the meridian of station 
" Travis." east of the Dehiware. This random line was carefully con- 
nected with the preceding one by offsets. 

Returning to the western termination of the first transit line, a 
third was j)rojected westward which was pushed rapidly forward to the 
west side of the Susquehanna valley, below Great Bend. Astronomical 
stations " Finn " and "Travis" were carefully connected with these 
lines, and consequently the positions of all the intermediate i)oints, 
with reference to the parallel of 42°, can be calculated with certainty, 
a result impossible from the previous survey. 

I confidently expected to meet Colonel Gere at (Jreat Bend, when I 
transferred my quarters to that i)lace, and before I reached this point 
upon the Boundary, but was very much disappointed in his non-arrival. 
As he had not kept me informed of his movements, I was unable to 
account for his absence, until just at the closing up of the field-woi-k for 
the season, nor could I learn any thing of his whereabouts, further than 
that he had left home for the line, and was supposed to be with me. 
I found early in October, when nearly througli with the field-work, 
that he had accompanied the astronomical party westward, and had 
expressed himself satisfied to leave to my judgment entirely the 
extent to which the review of the eastern section should be carried. 
While waiting to hear from Col. Gere I extended the review to the 23 
mile-stake, thus covering all the slip-shod work of 1877 with a careful 
re-survey. 

Colonel Worrall being absent from Harrisburg, so that I failed to 
open communications with him, I reluctantly made preparations to 
suspend the survey and return home. I had become convinced, from 
the developments of the examination, that the results would be quite 
incomplete and unsatisfactory unless the remaining 17 miles were 
thoroughly reviewed, more particularly the section between mile- 
stones 26 and 33, a portion of which is referred to in mv report for 
1877 (page 22). 

I had previously sent a sketch of the eastern portion — of about 17 
miles — to Colonel Worrall, with a full memorandum of the situation, 
expressing my opinion as to what further should be done, and that 
the reconnaissance could not be considered comi)lete under the reso- 
lution of 26 June, without continuing the thorough review to mile- 
stone 4-0. 

Just as I was about disbanding my party, a telegram from Colonel 
Worrall, followed next day by a letter, occasioned a change in my plans, 
as he coincided in my views, and apparently assented to my proposi- 
tion. 

I therefore proceeded to the point at which 1 had suspended opera- 
tions, and commenced a rapid and careful transit review of the remain- 
der of the compass wori^, and pushed it forward vigorously; but 
owing to the various delays, I was unable to complete it until after 1 
October. It was unfortunate that these delays occurred (especially 
that at the start, early in July, although they were unavoidable), as 
the last week or two the atmosphere was full of smoke, from fires in 
the woods, rendering the use of the instrument very difficult. 



16 [Assembly 

While awaiting at Little Meadows, near mile-stone 40, the receipt, by 
mail, ol fnnds to pay off and discharge my party, I spent a few hours 
upon the line between mile-stones 47 and 50, in reviewing a short section 
in which we had depended upon needle bearings. The new astro- 
nomical station at Little Meadows was also carefully connected with 
my random line. 

Upon the 7th of October I disbanded my party, and sent the mem- 
bers home, leaving behind my teamster, who was lying sick with a 
severe attack of typhoid pneumonia. The remainder of the party and 
ftiyself were pretty well worn out. The weather (except where the air. 
was full of smoke) had been so favorable for more than a month, that I 
had allowed myself or them very little opportunity for rest, except 
when forced to lie still, but had crowded them to the utmost, in order 
to complete the field-woi'k as early as possible. 

Having thus given a brief sketch of my operations upon the eastern 
section, I will now give more in detail some of its results. 

In projecting the random transit lines lor the re-examination, tlie 
compass bearings of 1877 were consulted, and used to some extent, but 
in most instances these compass randoms proved as wayward as tiie 
original line. 

Upon the section on which operations were commenced, the random 
transit line projected parallel with and 10 feet north of a line drawn 
through mile-stone 11 and the east River monument, and extending in 
either direction a total distance of about 11-^ miles, was first run west- 
ward. By calculation from the compass bearings this line was expected 
to pass 16 feet north of mile-stone 15. It actually passed 29 feet north 
of it. And a comparison of the compass lines, with the transit line with 
which it was connected at various points by offsets, exhibits a considera- 
ble curvature to the left (south), in the lormer a reverse of the normal 
curvature. The actual true bearing of the transit line when it crosses the 
river, I had no o])i)ortunity to take. It is about north 83° west (mag- 
netic). By comparison with a section of the astronomical parallel deduced 
from the latitudes of stations " Travis" and "Finn," the appioximato 
true bearing between mile-stones 11 'and the east River srone is south 89° 
50' west. The l)reak in the marked boundary near the 12-mile point, 
mentioned in my report for 1877 (page 21), was found rather greater 
than as developed by the compass. The irregularities between the 
river and mile-stone 15 were found to be more marked, as other old 
points were discovered, which were not found in 1877. Among them 
was the stone set at the south-west corner of lot 5 mentioned in the 
note (Report for 1877, page 21). It is 1008 feet west of the stone 
found in 1877, and about 17 feet north of it. A sketch of this section 
is a})pended (Sketch No. 1), as a companion to the sketch at page 20, 
report for 1877. 

The general direction of the traditional line is considerably south of 
west, and it is full of minor irregularities, the greatest of which is just 
west of mile-stone 19, iind which was probably occasioned by an attempt 
to run the line east from mile-stone 20 on the river flat, upon a bear- 
ing true east, which came out over 40 feet south of 19. 

Mile-stones 17 and 18 are gone, and it would be impossible to re]ilace 
them in their original (traditional) places by intei-polation between 




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No. 100.] 17 

mile-stones 16 and 19. The last two stones and the first latitude stone, 
on the right bank of the Susquehanna river, are very nearly in line, 
but 18 and 1? would be 12 to 1? feet to the north. 

From mile-stone 11 east to mile-stone 6, the general direction of ihe 
indicated boundary is quite uniform. At G there is an apparent bend 
to the north. 

It was at this mile-stone that the initial work w;is commencoil in 1877. 
At that time the line was run out to the Delaware, upon a bearing 
assumed by running from mile-stone 6 to mile-stone 5. The approxi- 
mate true bearing between these stones deduced from the astronomical 
parallel between stations "Travis" and "Finn " is north 89° 42' east. 
The magnetic bearing in 1877 was south 813° 20' east. The compass 
line between 6 and 5 was found to be convex (to the south), about 2-2- 
feet ; the curvature of the parallel is less than two inches for that dis- 
tance. 

By comparing the compass line which was run eastward from mile- 
stone 5, upon the assumed bearing, with the transit line with which 
it was connected at frequent intervals by carefully measured offsets, 
the former was found to be a quite regular curve to the left (north) to 
which the transit line was practically tangent. The versed-sine, or 
offset from the end of the transit line to the pier at station " Travis," 
which is at the extremity of the curve, is 97 leet ; the lengtli of the 
curve being 27,882 feet. The normal curvature of an arc of the paral- 
lel for the same distance is 16.7 feet. 

But the most important and satisfactory discovery was in finding 
mile-stone 1, which had been entirely lost sight of heretofore, and 
which, after sevei'a! diligent searches m 1877, was given up as lost. It 
stands 66 feet south of the compass line of 1877, and but 8^ feet north 
of the transit line. It was standing firmly in the ground, leaning 
somewhat toward the north, and well supported with stones, which 
were embedded in the soil. The stone has every appearance of having 
riMiiained many years undisturbed. The position of this stone indi- 
cates that the Initial Point at the river must have been very much 
south of the point at which the line of 1877 crossed the stream. 

The latter part of March last, I visited- Harrisburg, Penn., and 
made veiy thorough examinations among the land ]iapers in the office 
of the Secretary of Internal Affairs. Through the courtesy of (Jol. 
Worrall and the Deputy Secretary, Mr. Africa, I was afforded every 
facility for my researciies. The system of recording hind surveys in 
Pennsylvania is so antiquated and crude that search for any si)ecific 
object was very difficult, and little of practical value affecting the 
lk)undary was found. 

But at Weaversville, Northampton county, Penn., Col. Gere and my- 
self visited, while on my way to Harrisburg, Mr. Jacob Fatzinger, ,)r., 
who has in his possession a large collection of valuable papers,* the 
accumulation of over fifty years, of the notes and surveys of George 
Palmer, who was deputy surveyor for the Pennsylvania Proprietaries 
at the time Rittenhouse and Holland fixed the initial monumentbefore 
the Revolution. He continued to hold the same office for many years 
under the Commonwealth, and his surveys embraced a large part of 

* Referred to at page 50, Report of progress for 1877. 
[Assem.Doc. No. 100.] 3 



18 [Assembly 

the north-eastern portion of tlie State. Among his papers are sev- 
eral interesting documents directly appertaining to the history of this 
portion of the Boundary, and which should be compiled for publica- 
tion in the next volume of the Regents' Boundary Reports. 

One, a field-book of a survey of the Delaware river, and of warrants 
bordering upon it in 1773-4, is referred to at page 20 in the Report 
for 1877.* There are also a field-book, diary and plot of the survey 
of a line commencing at the monument on the right bank of the 
Delaware river and extending west to the Susquehanna, a distance of 
12 miles 211 perches, f This survey was made in June, 1784. Each 
mile was marked bv a tree. The 2-miIe tree was a birch. This was 
undoubtedly the "false line," referred to at page 20, Report for 1877. 
Mr. F. has also the field-notes ol Mr. Palmer's surveys of warrants in 
the north part of Wayne 'county, Peun., based upon this line in 1785. 
These refer to the mile tiees. The survey of the warrant now owned 
by S. B. Alexander begins at 2-mile birch. I think Mr. Alexander's 
yellow birch stump may be the remains of this particular tree. I 
am ([uite well satisfied that the early surveys of several tracts in the 
soutli-east part of Broome county, New York, were also based u[)on 
this "false line." 

As detailed upon pages 19 and 20 (report for 1877), this '' false 
line " was located from the true line at various points, and at various 
times, by Gen. James Clinton, Wm. MacOlure and M. R. Hulce. 
The yellow birch stump is almost exactly in line with these points, 
and projected eastward this line will strike the Delaware river at a 
point very nearly in line with mile-stones 1 and 5, and not far from 
where my transit line intersected it. (See sketch No. 3.) The posi- 
tion of mile-stone 3 is rather anomalous. It is 23 feet north of a line 
between mile-stones 1 and 5, and agrees with no corners upon either the 
true or false line. It was found in 1877 lying upon a steep rocky moun- 
tain side, above the line. It could hardly have been moved out of line in 
that direction by natural forces. 

. Upon the section of the present boundary between the two rivers, 
and as far west as mile-stone 16, the monuments found in place do 
not vary much from a' line, less so than I think will be found upon a 
section of the same length elsewhere along the parallel Boundary. 
West of 16 there is some considerable curvature, but this and the 
other deviations upon the first 20 milps are the reverse of the normal 

* I think Palmer must have accompanied Holland and Rittenhouse up the 
Delaware, where tliey fixed the Initial Point at Monument Island. His- traverse 
of the river in this field-book closed 15 November, 1774, at a "beech stump, 
cut high for ye observation." Holland and Kittenliouse commenced observation.'* 
at this point 19 November, 1774. (Report, page 248, vol. I, Regents' Boundary 
Report.) 

f In his diary he says : "June 1, came to Mr. Rittenhouse and ("apt. Holland's 
observatory and encamped. I hunted near 1^ hours before I found the corner. 2d, 
Wednesday, began to run the line N. SO" 20' W." A copy of tlie plot is appended. 
(See sketch No. 2.) The licld-bnok gives the west end of the line upon the river 
as a " post between sug"' and hickory." Upon another old map referred to further 
on, is a memorandum that the western extremity of this line was at " a Small 
dead Lynn, marked Sam'l Harris, with Red ledd." 

From a remark in a letter from Jno. Lukens, Surveyor-General of Pennsylva- 
nia, to Geo. Palmer, dated 20 June, 1784, I judge that this portion of the Bound 
ary may have been traced before Palmer ran it in 1784. 



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No. 100.] 19 

curvature of the parallel. This is the result of the increase in the 
declination of the needle to the westward, alluded to in Report for 
1877 (p. 47). 

West of the Susquehanna, near station " Finn," I liave as yet made no 
attempt to compare the present re-survey with the compass work, 
further than this, the line of monuments and traditional point (the 
latter greatly predominate), which looks like a strait line, when 
plotted from the compass notes, shows from the re-survey co!isiderable 
crookedness. 

The series of random transit lines which vvere projected by inspection 
of the compass bearings of 18r7, varied considerably in two oi' three 
instances, from where they were expected to strike, especially the last 
one, which was supposed would come out ^O or 40 feet north of mile- 
stone 40, struck a point 12 feet south of it. 

Beyond the abrupt deflection near the river, the general direction of 
the line is north of west for 10 or 11 miles, crossing the astronomical 
parallel near the 29-mile point. West of that the bends or breaks in 
the Boundary are toward the left (south), and it recrossi'S the parallel 
near the 38-mile point. 

Mile-stone 33, which was found in 1877 in place, and which had 
been regarded for years by surveyors and land-owners as an authentic 
monument, I found, when I reached that point in vSeptember last, had 
been taken up and entirely removed since my first visit, by whom or 
when I was unable to learn, nor could I find the stone. The place 
where it stood was readily identified. I reported the facts to the dis- 
trict attorney of Broome county. I also discovered that the 38 mile- 
stake had been removed, and its place entirely obliterated. 

Among the papers in Mr. Fatzinger's possession, is a large map con- 
siderably mutilated, which appears to be collated from fragmentary 
surveys along the Delaware river, made before and during the Eevolu- 
tion (no date appears upon it), by George Palmer. It exhibits the 
survey of the line between the Delaware and the Susquehanna, referred 
to above. It also shows that a line west of the Susquehanna below 
Great Bend had been surveyed, the miles being numbered froni the 
west, terminating at the left bank of the river at a birch 36 miles and 
206 perches. The west portion of tlie map is torn off, so that the 
starting point does not appear, but it was undoubtedly at the Susque- 
hanna river east of Waverly. This line bears the legend " S. 87 E. sup- 
posed to be at or near the Northern Boundary of Pennsylvania." It was 
probably a survey of the " Line of Property" or Indian Boundary, 
according to the Treaty of .1768.* I think it must have been south of 
the present boundary, as at one point, near mile-stone 26, an old line 
about a quarter of a mile south of and nearly parallel witii the Boun- 
dary has long been known as the "old State line." It is possible that 
the early surveys of some tracts in Broome and Tioga counties. New 
York, were based upon this line, as they wei'e afterward found to 
encroach upon Pennsylvania. 



* See documents relating to the Colonial History of New York, vol. viii, p. 
135, etc. Osweg-y, referred to in the treaty, according to the rude map accompa- 
nying the Indian deed, must have been situated upon the river south-east of 
Waverly. 



30 [Assembly 

Astronomical Positions. - 

I am unable at present to give the astronomical position of any of 
the monuments (excepting upon the first 20 miles), not having yet 
been furnished with the results of the final office computations of the 
observations at the various stations occupied the past season. Partial 
computations have been made upon all the sections of the Boundary, 
but the final astronomical results will be required before any thing can 
be completed. 

Thirteen astronomical stations have been occupied upon the Parallel 
Boundary. Observations were made in 1817 at four of these, "Tra- 
vis," "Finn," " Burt," and " Clark," The remainder were observed 
the past summer. 

The following is a detailed list of these stations : 

No. 1. '• Travis," east of Delaware river, near Monument Island, below 
Hale's Eddv, and 6,827 feet east of mile-stone 1. Latitude 42° 00' 02" 
.06 ± 0".14-. 

No. 2. "Finn," between 20-mile stake and Susquehanna river. 
1, 152 feet east, and 270 feet north of the first latitude stone. Lati- 
tude 41° 59' 59".38 ± 0"-ll. 

No. 3. "Little-Meadows." In the Apalachin valley, north of the 
village of Little Meadows, 2 feet north of the 39 1-2-mile stake set in 
1877, and 2 1-4 feet north, and 2,652 feet east of mile-stone 40. 

No. 4. " Waverly." In a lumber yard, 105 feet east, and 7-7 feet 
north of a boundary monument set under my direction in 1877, on 
the east side of Pennsylvania avenue, in the village of Waverly. The 
station is 844 feet east and 1-7 south of mile-stone 60. 

No. 5. "Burt." South of Wellsburg, New York, 4,022 feet west 
and 394 feet south of mile-stone 69. Latitude 42° 00' 03".59 ± 0".12. 

No. 6. " Lawrenceville." North of the village of Lawrenceville, 
Tioga CO., Penn., 8.8 feet north of mile-stone 90. 

No. 7. " Austinburg." South-westerly side of road from Austin- 
burg, Penn., to South Troupsburg, New York, and 9-7 feet south of 
the tiffli latitude stone, which is 3,162 feet west of mile-stone 109. 

No. 8. "Genesee Valley." About 2 miles south of Shongo, Alle- 
gany Co., New York, on the west side of the Genesee Valley, 1104-8 
feet east, and 62 feet north, of mile-stone 129. 

No. 9. "Ceres." West of Ceres village, 11-6 feet east, and 56-6 
feet north of 149 mile-stake. 

No. 10. "Tuna Valley." West of Tunaunguant creek, 9 feet 
north of the seventh latitude stone and 527 feet west of mile-stone 167. 

No. 11. "Corydon." About 780 feet east of the Allegany river, 
and 4.25 feet north of mile-stone 184. 

No. 12. " Sugar Grove," east side of road leading north from Sugar 
Grove, Penn., 2,080 feet west, and 31.9 feet south of mile-stone 203. 

No. 13. " Clark," 4,152 feet west of temporary 223 mile-stake. 5,480 
feet east of the south-west corner of New York, and about 90 feet 
south of the apparent boundary. Latitude 42° 00' 80".79 ± 0".09. 

The position of the Lake Erie monument, upon the Meridian 
Boundary, has not yet been verified. But this will doubtless be done 
the coming season by the U. b. Lake Survey. 

Of the stations occupied the past season, I have visited and located 



No. 100.] 21 

but two, "Little Meadows" and '•' Waverly." The locations of the re- 
maining seven * I take from memoranda i'urnislied by the observer, 
Mr. Edwin Smith. I have also been iYirnished with memoranda of the 
]"esolt of his field computations of the latitudes of the new stations, 
but with the request that they should not be used for any public pur- 
pose. 

The piers at ''Travis," " Finn," " Waverly," " Burt " and " Clark." 
are of brick capped with stone. Those at "Travis" and "Clark" 
are rapidly disintegrating under the action of the weather, and they 
should at once be replaced with something more permanent. Tiie 
same suggestion applies with equal force to the piers erected the past 
season, which are, with one exception, large blocks of wood, mainly 
hemlock, set up under the direction of Col. Gere. 

Conclusion". 

I will reserve such recommendations as I may have to make for a 
future report, which will be made when my maps and computations 
are more complete. 

I will at present but repeat my suggestions of former reports, that 
the temporary stakes and primitive land- marks should be immediately 
replaced by more permanent monuments, especially if the old boundary 
is to be kept up. The latter policy I will not undertake to discuss 
further than to say, that I find the sentiment of the people adjoining 
the Boundary, particularly those whose residences would be changed by 
a correction of the Boundary to the parallel, decidedly adverse to any 
alteration. 

Our party at the start was constituted as follows : 

Mr. Frank C. Ainslie, principal assistant. 

Mr. Daniel E. Hayden, assistant and clerk. 

John B. Fuller, C. E., flagman. 

Dr. A. F. Hamilton and Charles H. Wells, axmen. 

James Giles, teamster. 

I have to repeat the acknowledgments heretofore expressed, to our 
principal assistants, Messrs. Ainslie and Hayden, for their efficiency. 
The latter gentleman was suddenly called home the last of August, by 
business matters, and was obliged to sever his connection with the 
survey, much to my regret. Mr. Fuller, a very efficient young gentle- 
man, a graduate of La Fayette College, at Easton, Penn., took his 
place, and the other changes in the composition of the party thus 
made necessary were filled by temporary supply. 

The party upon the nsview of the eastern section comprised : 

Mr. Frank C. Ainslie, princiinxl assistant. 

Messrs. John B. Fuller, Charles H. Wells, and Jolin F. Stewart, 
axmen. 

Charles Curtis, teamster. 

Respectfully submitted, 

H. W. CLARKE, 

Civil Engineer. 



* Except " Genesee Valley " and " Sugar Grove," which were visited by me 
since the date of this Report. 



22 



[Assembly No. 100.] 



Latitude 

Of mile points and monuments between the Initial Point and mile- 
stone 31, dednced from the latitudes of stations " Travis" and "Finn." 



Distance W. from 
" Travis," (feet) 



Station. 

Pier station '- Travis " 00 ■ 

*Stake, right bank Delaware river .. 1812 

Mile-stone 1 6827 

*2 mile-stake . . 12046 

Yellow birch stump 12068 

Mile-stone 3 17327 

*4 mile-point 22602 

Mile-stone 5 22882 

6 ;. 33180 

Monum't Cov., Wayne and Snsq. Go's. 35168 

Mile-stone 7 38530 

*8 mile-stake 48913 

*9 " " 49295 

Mile-stone 10 54679 

11 60021 

*12 mile-stake 65301 

East river monument (Susqneh'na R.) 68891 
West " " " 69294 

*Mile-stone 13 71095 

Hooper corner stone 75926 

*14 mile-stake (1877) 75943 

* " '^ (1879) 76553 

Mile-stone 15 82012 

16 87403 

*17-mile stake 92821 

*18 " 98266 

Mile-stone 19 103711 

" Fan-tail " corner monument 103876 

*20 mile-stake 1 08991 

Pier, station " Finn " 109873 

1st latitude stone 111024-7 



42 



41° 



41° 



00' 02". 
01". 
01". 
01" 
0:i" 
01" 
01" 
00" 
00" 
00" 
00" 
00" 
00". 
00" 
00" 

59' 59" 
59" 
59". 
59" 
59". 
59". 
59". 
59". 
58"- 
58"- 
58". 
57". 
57". 
56". 
59' 59". 
56". 



Latitude. 

66±0".14 

67 

63 
.42 
.12 
.65 
.12 
.96 

• 69 

• 59 
6^ 

•56 
•45 
•15 
•1 
.68 
•85 
■81 
.61 
•06 
•06 
■71 
24 
8 

57 
02 
45 
46 
94 

38±0' 
72 



.11 



* Temporary points. 



GENERAL EEPORT ON CONDITION OF THE BOUNDARY. 



Hon. Henry R. Pierson, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, and Gen. E. 
W. Leavenworth, Boundary Committee of the Board of Regents 
of the University of the State of New York : 

Gentlemen — I have the honor to present the following general re- 
port of the condition of the entire Boundary between the States of New 
York and Pennsylvania; giving also in detail the requirements for its 
restoration and preservation. 

In making up a report wliich may he of the nature of a final re- 
port, I shall endeavor to present as briefly and clearly as possible, the 
general characteristics of the entire Boundary, its present condition 
at various points, and what is necessary to be done to preserve and 
mark it, as well as the practicability of any radical change in its 
location. 

In the distribution of the stations to be occupied for astronomical 
work by the party from the United States Coast Survey Office, during 
the past season, they were placed at ])oints wliich, with those located 
in 1877, would divide the Parallel Boundary as nearly as practicable 
into equal sections of about 20 miles in length, with the exception 
of that between the fourth and fifth stations ('' Waverly " and 
•' Burt"), which is less than ten miles. 

I shall therefore adopt this practical division of the Boundary into 
sections, in the following resume. 

First Section. 

Station " Travis," near the Initial Point at the Delaware river, to sta- 
tion ''Finn," west of the 20-mile-poi7it. 

Upon this section, a little over 20 miles in length, there re- 
main but eight of the original mile-stones which may positively be 
accepted as in place, in readjusting the original boundary. These are 
1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, 16 and 19. The east River monument, west of 
the 12-mile point, may also be accepted thus. Mile-stone 7 is 
considered by some as authentic, but it has certainly been disturbed. 
At the other points west of mile-stone 6, the marl<s are merely tra- 
ditional, and indicated by the devious fences, or l)y stakes which rarely 
align with others. The widest variations from the general direction 
of the original boundary are near the 14-mile-point, and west of mile- 
stone 19, both toward the south, from 40 to (iO feet. This section of 
the Boundary can, I think, be re-adjusted without any difficulty. 

The portion east of mile-stone 5 is, however, in a very uncertain 
condition, owniug^mainly to the duplicate line mentioned in my late 
Report, of Progres's. (See page 18, ante.) With the exception of 
mile-stone 1, which has heretofore been entirely lost sight of, there is 



24 [Assembly 

absolutely nothing to indicate definitely the position or direction of 
the authentic boundary. The Initial Point is entirely obliterated, and 
there remains nothing to indicate the point at which the Boundary in- 
tersected the Delawai'e river. The only other well-authenticated land- 
mark, the yellow birch stump, two miles west of the Delaware river, 1 
am convinced is in the duplicate line run in 1784. This portion of 
the Boundary will probably have to be arbitrarily re-adjusted by align- 
ment from mile-stones 1 and 5. Mile-stone 3 I do not regard trust- 
worthy. 

The transit reconnaissance of the first section was so thorough and 
complete, that little, if any, more surveying will be required to fix 
upon the ground the positiop.s of the new monuments. 

In its relation to the astronomical parallel of latitude 42°, this sec- 
tion is peculiar. Its general direction from the Initial Point is south 
of west, with a tendency to a curvature in a direction the reverse of 
the normal curvature of the parallel. Mile-stone 1, the most easterly 
remaining monument, is in latitude 42° 00' 01".6), while the first lati- 
tude stone, 1,152 feet west from station " Finn," is 41 59' 56".72, a 
difference in latitude of 502 feet. The parallel of 42° is intersected 
between the 11 and 12-mile points. 

Second Section, 

Betioeen f^kdion ''Finn'''' and station ''Little Meadows" at 39-| yniles. 

Upon this section, 19-| miles in length, only four of the original 
monuments may be accepted as in place. These are the first latitude 
stone on the right bank of the Susquehanna, and mile-stones 26, 36 
and 31». The places of two others, 23 and 33, are known, although 
the stones themselves have been abstracted. The place of another 
mile-stone, 21, is supposed to have been sufficiently identified, but not 
positively. Three mile-stones, 27, 31 and 32, were found upon the 
ground, but with nothing by which to identify their proper positions. 
Very near 31 is a rough stone monument, which has been for a long 
period considered as a boundary monument, and which may be ac- 
cepted as such in adjusting the Boundary. A few other points are 
traditional; while other intervals are wholly undefined, and will have 
to be adjusted us equitably as practicable. 

The reconnaissance of this section was quite thorough, but for a 
portion of the time the atmosphere was so filled with smoke as to ren- 
der one or two intervals rather unsatisfactory, especially between mile- 
stones 31 and 33, which should be re-run before the position of 32 is 
fully determined upon. Upon a portion of this interval the line is in 
dis])ute and the utmost care will be necessary in adjusting it. 

This section seems to have no general direction, having nuirked 
crooks or curvatures in both directions. 

The relation of points upon this section, as well as upon the remain- 
der of the Boundary west of it, to the astronomical parallel of lati- 
tude 42°, can as yet be given only approximately, full results from the 
final computations of the observations for latitude during the past 
season not Ix ing yet av;iilal)le. * 

* See note, page 41. 



No. 100.] 25 

The latitude of the 21 mile-point, a pile of stones marking the cor- 
ner of the towns of Great Bend and Liberty, in Susqueiianna county, 
Penn., is 41" 59' 56".G1, of the 35-mile-stake, 42° 00' 00".88, and of 
mile-stone 40, a half mile west of station " Little Meadows," 41° 59' 
59".93. 

The extreme variation from south to north on this section is thus 
about 430 feet. Mile-stone 40, at the western end, is about 325 feet 
north of the first latitude stone, at the eastern end. 

The parallel of 42° is intersected near the 20-miIe stake, and also 
between the 38 and 39 mile-points. 

Third Skction". 

Between station "■Little Meadows" and station '' IIVaw%," 844 feet 

east of mile-stone 60. 

The length of this section is nearly 20f miles. 

The monuments upon it may nearly all of them be accepted as in 
place. Mile-stone 42 has been i)ulled uj) and its place lost. The 
Boundary near it is in a somewhat uncertain condition. Mile-stone 
43 has been moved a short distance directly west from its original 
[)osition. Mile-stones 56 and 58 are entirely lost. The other mile- 
stones, 16 in number, are accepted by every party interested as undis- 
puted. Mile-stone 54 has at sometime been replaced with a new stone, 
but there seems to be no question as to its location. Mile-stone 45 
was broken up and buried in a road, and its place may possibly be 
questioned, but it is not far out of the way, if at all. 

The general direction of the line is that of a tolerably regular curve 
to the right (north) as far as mile-stone 55, but with a curvature very 
much in excess of the normal curvatun? of the parallel. Near 55 
there appears to be a more abrupt bend, beyond which the general 
direction of the Boundary varies very considerably to the north of west, 
which continues for 12 or 15 miles. 

There will be no difficulty in adjusting the unsettled portions of 
this section ; some short intervals will have to be resurveyed for the 
purpose. 

The monuments upon this section — excepting perhaps mile-stone 
59 — are all south of latitude 42°, which is intersected near 59. The 
latitude of mile-stone 60, west of station " Waverly," is 42° 00' 00" 
•7, about 78 feet north of mile-stone 40. The extreme southerly 
point in the section is at mile-stone 49, which is in latitude- 41° 59' 
56" -6, making an extreme variation of nearly 425 feet. 

Fourth Section. 

Between station " Waverly " and station " Burt,'' near the 70-mile 

point. 

This section is less than 10 miles in length. Station Burt was 
located in 1877 rather at random, without reference to any future dis- 
tribution of additional stations. 

The general direction of this portion of the Boundary is from 40' to 
45' north of west. 

[Assem. Doc. No. 100.] 4 



26 [Assembly 

There were upon this section 12 original monuments ; of these, 8 
may be accepted as in place and undisputed. The eastern extremity 
of this section is in the village of Waverly. Mile-stone 60 in the heart 
of the village had been removed, and its original position lost, and dis- 
putes involving question of jurisdiction were constantly arising. In 
the fall of 1877, at the request of the village authorities, and with the 
assent of the Joint Commission, we adjusted the Boundary through the 
village by alignment between mile-stone 59 and an original monument 
at GOf miles. Mile-stone 60 was reset in this line, and stone monu- 
ments were set at its intersection with various village streets. The 
line thus fixed was perfectly satisfactory to the authorities of the vil- 
lage. Mile-stones 63 and 64 have been pulled up and nothing is known 
of their original positions. Mile-stone 67 is considerably out of line 
with those m either direction, and it is jirobably out of its original place. 

The 4th and 5th sections being intimately connected in their general 
characteristics, I will reserve further details for the present. 

Fifth Section. 

Station^' Burt'' to station " Lmorenceville " at miU'Stone 90, "ZQ^iniles. 

There were originally 22 monuments upon this section, of these 10, 
mile-stones 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 78, 81, 86, 88 and 90, may be accepted 
as in place. Mile-stones 70, 76, 77 and 87 and the fourth latitude 
stone, at the Tioga river, could not be found, nor their places identi- 
fied. The same may be said of mile-stones 83 and 85, pieces of which 
were found lying upon the ground. The positions of 79 and 80 are in 
doubt, as they have been tampered with ; 82, 84 and 89 have been 
moved — 82 to the east, the others transversely. A portion of the Pre- 
emption Line, a transit meridian line which was run north from mile- 
stone 82, will have to be run before the latter stone can be replaced. 

Taken together, the fourth and fifth sections form a grand curve, 
convex toward the north — rather, two tangents joined by a long curve. 
The general direction of the Boundary across the fourth section con- 
tinues to mile-stone 73, beyond which is a somewhat irregular curve 
to the left (south) to mile-stone 80. And the general direction of the 
remainder is considerably south of west, to mile-stone 91. A slight 
bend to the right (north) occurs at mile-stone 88. The most unset- 
tled and unsatisfactory jjortion of this section is upon the central curve, 
where two monuments are entirely lost, and the integrity of two others 
is questioned. To satisfactorily adjust this irregular portion will 
require careful consideration. And this and several other intervals 
upon the two sections should be carefully resurveyed before the monu- 
ment points are finally fixed. Other portions, particularly those west 
of the curve, may be adjusted without much difficulty. 

In latitude, the entire Boundary upon these two sections is north of 
the parallel of 42" ; mile-stone 90, at station " Lawrenceville," is in lati- 
tude 42° 00' 01". 03, about 40 feet north of mile-stone 60, while equi- 
distant from these two, 75 is 42° 00' 09". 53. Station "Burt" is 
4,082 feet west of mile-stone 69, and its latitude is 42° 00' 03" .59 ± 
0'M2, and a point o])posite the station in line between inile-stones 69 
and 71 is 4".36 (441.3 feet) north of it. 

The variation from the parallel of latitude 42° is the greatest upon 



No. 100.] 27 

this section of the Boundary, mile-stone 75 bein^ about 905 feet to the 
north. 

Sixth Section. 

Between station ^' Lawre7iceviUe" and station ^^ Austinburgli^^ at the 

fifth latitude stone, a distance of about lOf miles. 

Upon this section, two mile-stones, 95 and 102, are entirely lost 
Mile-stones 98, 100, lOG and 107, and the tifth latitude stone at the 
western extremity, have lost their status, and the positions of 9(J and 
104 are doubtful. The remainder of the mile-stones may be acce})ted 
as undisputed, except perhaps 94, which is said to have been moved, 
although I could discover no evidence of the fact. This section of the 
boundary may be adjusted without difficulty, although it will be neces- 
sary to re-run some portions of it before the doubtful points are posi- 
tively fixed. 

The general direction of this section of the Boundary is very nearly 
strait from mile-stone 91 to mile-stone 99, where there is a slight cur- 
vature toward the right (north). A slight bend to the left (south) occurs 
at mile-stone 104. Otiierwise there seems to be no marked unevenness 
in the line of monuments or traditional points. 

This section, at all points, lies very nearly in latitude 42°, but en- 
tirely north of it. The latitude of the filth latitude stone which 
stands temporarily set up 9.7 feet north of station "Austinburg," is 
42° 00' 01 ".45, about 40 feet north of mile-stone 90. j 

Seventh Section". 

Betzoeen station ''Austinburg" and station '' Genesee Valley,'' 1105 
feet east of mile-stone 129 ; a distance of about \^\tniles. 

Upon this section, mile-stone 111 is entirely lost, but its place may 
readily be interpolated; 115 and 110 have been disturbed maliciously; 
the Boundary in the vicinity is in dispute and the points will proba- 
bly have to be settled arbitrarily. Mile-stones 118, 123 and 120 had 
long since been removed from their places and now have no status. 
Before the doubtful points are fixed it would be desirable to re-run 
some portions of this section. The remaining mile-stones may be ac- 
ce])ted as undisputed. 

The general direction of the monument line and traditional points 
upon this section is quite uneven. It seems to have a gradual cur- 
vature to the right (north) to mile-stone 117, where there is a sudden 
bend to the south, then another bend to the right (north) at 120, be- 
yond which the alignment is quite direct, with a slight bend to the 
right (north) at the 126-mile point. 

The part of the line in dispute is upon the most irregular portion, 
which makes its satisfactory adjustment a delicate problem. 

The latitude of mile-stone 129, west of station " Genesee Valley," is 
4r59'57"-59, about 380 feet south of the fifth latitude-stone at '-Aus- 
tinburg." These are the extreme southerly and northerly points,, and 
the jxirallel of 42° is intersected near mile-stone 113, and also betAveen 
116 and 117, and between 118 and 119. Mile-stones 114, 115 and 116 
being south, and 117 and 118 north, of the parallel. 



28 [Assembly 

Eighth Section. 

Betioeen station " Genesee Valley^' and statioii '^ Ceres," near the 149- 

mile poi7it, nearly 20^ miles. 

Upon tliis section three mile-stones, 133, 142 and 146, have been 
pulled up and theii' places are lost. Eight, 131, 139, 140, 141, 143, 
145, 14? and 148,* are entirely lost. At some of these points I think 
stones were never set. The remaining monuments, including the sixth 
latitude stone, the Holland Land Company's corner monument, and 
a New York section corner-stone, east of the 148-mile point, may be 
accepted as undisputed, although there may be a question whether 132 
is in its exact original place. The lost points between 130 and 134 
can easily be replaced. 

In general direction the Boundary bears decidedly to the north of 
west from mile-stone 130, with an abrupt bend to the left (soutli) at 
136, and to the right (north), again at 137 with the same general 
north of west direction to the traditional 141-mile point ; then with 
a sharp irregular curvature to the left (south) to the north-west corner 
of Potter county, Pennsylvania, east of mile-stone 146, from which 
the alignment of the traditional points is quite direct to the ISO-mile 
point, bearing a little south of west. The portion between the Hol- 
land Land Company's monument and the Potter county corner is quite 
irregular, and so many of the monuments being lost, it is very much 
in dispute at various points ; and its satisfactory adjustment will be a 
very difficult problem. West of the Potter county corner, I think 
there need be but little difficulty in adjusting the Boundary. Between 
the 148 and 149-mile points, the line passes through the little village 
of Ceres, intersecting several buildings. Here great caution will be 
necessary in retracing the original line. I think it quite advisable 
that the west half of this section should be entirely resnrveyed before 
the places for tlie monuments are permanently fixed. 

The latitude of the 149-mile stake which stands in the traditional 
boundary 11-5 feet west, and 56-6 feet south of astronomical sta- 
tion Ceres, is 41" 59' 58" .59, about 100 feet north of mile-stone 129. 
The extreme northern limit is near the 141-mile point, where the lati- 
tude of the traditional line is 42 00' 03". 47. The parallel of 42° is 
intersected between mile-stones 135 and 136. 

Ninth Section. 

Behveen station " Ceres" and station " Tuna Valley" at the seventh 
latitude stone, a distance of about 18^ miles. 

Upon this section mile-stones 149f, 150, 152, 154, and 166, and a 
stone monument set by the Holland Land Company to mark the south- 
west corner of the Willink laiuls, are entirely lost, and their places in 
doubt. Mile-stones 153, 158 and 160 had been pulled up and their 
places lost. The points for these three and the Willink coi'uer may 
be fixed without difficulty. The other points will require some study, 

* Note. — The Holland Land Company's field-notes mention " a 148-mile tree." 
Nothing!: now remains of this tree. 

fThe field-notes of the surveys of the Keating lands in Pennsylvania, in 1802, 
refer to a certain corner as " £i5.4 ps. west of a stake at the 149-mile tree." 



No. 100.] "" 29 

and it will be necessary to re-rnn a portion of the eastern end of the 
section in connection with the western portion of the eighth section, 
before a final location is decided upon. Mile-stone 167 has been per- 
manently reset in place, and the remaining monuments, including the 
seventh latitude stone at astronomical station Tuna Valley, are to be 
accepted as undisputed. 

In general direction, this section, west of a very abrupt bend at or 
near tlie 150-mile point, takes a direction north of west, with several 
minor crooks in both directions, to the latitude stone at the western 
extremity. At this point occurs the sharpest deflection upon the en- 
tire boundary. It is nearly 1° 40' to the left (soutii). 

Tlie latitude of the seventh latitutle stone, which stands 9 feet 
south of astronomical station "Tuna Valley," is 42° 00' 04". 18, 
about 550 feet nortli of the 149-niile stake. The most soutlierly 
point in the traditional line is between the 149 and 150-mile points, 
but its latitude is indefinite. The forty-second parallel is intersected 
east of mile-stone 153. 

Tenth Section. 

Between astronomical station " Tuna Valley'''' and station " Corydon," 

at mile-stone 184, about 1? 1-6 miles. 

The section appears to be in the- best state of preservation of any 
portion of the Boundary; most of the original monuments aj)pear to 
be in place, and many of the original witness trees to the old Holland 
Land Company's stakes are still in existence. The same may be 
said of a portion of the preceding section. 

Upon the tenth section mile-stones 169, 170 and 177 are entirely 
lost, but can readily be replaced. A stone has been set at the 184- 
mile point by an official commission, and I think it may be considered 
as in place. Two other monuments, at road intersections in either 
direction from 184, were set by tlie same commission, and 182 was 
reset by them; all of these may be taken as autiientic monuments. 
An iron monument, set by order of the Commissioner of the United 
States General Land Office, to mark the south-east corner of the Alle- 
gany Indian Reservation, very nearly in line, was very soon feloniously 
abstracted, but has since been returned.* The remaining monuments 
upon this section may be accepted as undisputed, including two monu- 
ments set by the Holland Land Company at each corner of the Wil- 
link Strip. 

No resurveying will be necessary upon this section. The lost points 
can readily be replaced from the lines of the reconnaissance. 

The general direction of this section is south of west to near the 
Transit Meridian monument, east of mile-stone 171, where there is a 
very apparent bend toward the right (north), beyond which the gen- 
eral direction is a trifle south of west nearly to mile-stone 180, where 
another bend in the same direction occurs, after which the direction is 
nearly 1 north of west. 

The latitude of mile-stone 184, which is 4^ feet south of astro- 
nomical station " Corydon," is 41" 59' 59". 5, about 456 feet south 

* See page 12. 



30 [Assembly 

of the seventh latitude stone. The extreme southerly point is mile- 
stone 180 in latitude 49 59' 6(3".()«, about 810 feet south of the 
latitude stone. The parallel of latitude 43 is intersected west of the 
170-mile point. 

» Eleventh Section. 

Between station " Corydon" aad station ^' Sugar Grove,^' 2,0S0 feet ' 

losst of mile-stone 203, aJjout 19.8 miles. 

This section is in a very dilapidated condition, only five of the original 
monuments, mile-stones 188, 189, 192 and 203 and the eighth latitude 
stone, being undisputedly in place. Mile-stones 193, 194, 197, 198, 
199 and 202 are entirely lost. I doubt if stones were set at these points. 
They were, some of them, probably originally marked by posts or trees. 
A substantial monument has been placed by a public-spirited citizen at 
or near the 194-mile point. It may be considered as authentic. The 
197-mile point, which was originally marked by a tree, has undoubtedly 
been preserved by the owner of the surrounding land by means of 
stakes. Mile-stones 185, 18G, 187, 190. 191, 195, 196, 200 and 201 have 
been pulled up, and their places lost, although 195 and 200 stand proba- 
bly as near their original positions as can now be determined. At some 
of these points the traditional line is quite vague. An iron monument 
set to mark the south-west corner of the Allegany Indian Reservation, 
which mysteriously disappeared and has since been replaced, stands, I 
think, too far north.* A very few of the original points marked by the 
Holland Land Company may yet be identified. A considerable resur- 
veying will be necessary upon this section, before the points upon it 
are finally fixed. 

The general direction of the traditional line upon this section is 
somewhat irregular. At the eastern extremity the direction is nearly 
1° north of west, but it gradually curves to the left (south) to a point 
west of 194-mile monument, where there seems to be a jog to tiie north 
of 30 or 40 feet. West of this the general direction is somewhat 
south of west for 3 or 4 miles and then nearly west. 

The latitude of mile-stone 203, as deduced from the results at astro- 
nomical station ''Sugar G-rove." is 41° 59' 59".15, 44 feet south of 
mile-stone 184 at "Corydon." The extreme northerly point is the 
eighth latitude stone at 195^ miles, the latitude of which is 32° 
00' 02". 28, 276 feet north of 184. The, parallel of 42° is intersected 
east of mile-stone 185, and between the 198 and 199-mile points. 

Twelfth Section. 

From astronomical station "Sugar Grove" to the south-iuest corner 

of New York, 5,4:80 feet west of station " Clark," a distance of 21.6 

miles. 

The condition of the Boundary upon this section is the most unsat- 
isfactory and uncertain of any, owing to the wholesale removal or de- 
struction of the land-marks and monuments at an early date. 

But two mile-stones, 204 and 208, are in existence. The positions 

* See page 12. 



No. 100.] 31 

of these are undisputed. It is ])rob{il)le tliat a few of the mile points, 
were marked by trees or posts. The 305, 207, 210 and 212-mile ])oints, 
being Pennsylvania warrant corners, are oceupied by stakes which are 
undisputed. A few of the points marked by the Holland Land Com- 
pany may yet be identified. 

Upon the west half of this section tlie traditional line even is not 
very clearly defined. Most of tiie distance a highway follows the 
Boundary. This ])ortion may have to be adjusted arbitrarily. 

The greater portion of this section should be re-run before the po- 
sitions are finally fixed. 

The south-west corner of New York is marked by a stake buried in 
the highway, in the place where stood the original terminal nn>nunient 
of the Meridian Boundai-y. Its })osition is undisputed. There are no 
original monuments upon the original boundary west of the '• Corner " 
for several miles. 

The general direction of this section is slightly south of west to 
about 211 -J miles; tlifen north of west, but quite uneven in align- 
ment to near the 219-mile point, west of which it has a direction nearly 
west. 

The latitude of the stake at the " Corner" as deduced from the po- 
sition of station "Clark" is 42° 00' 01". 42, about 230 feet north of 
mile-stone 203. The most southerly point in the traditional line is 
near the 211-mile point, ami the extreme northerly point is near the 
223-mile stake, both somewhat indefinite. The forty-second })arallel is 
intersected near the 218-mile stake. 

Meridian Boundary. 

The discussion of the Meridian Boundary will be taken up further 
on in this report. 

The Astronomical Parallel of Latitude 42 . 

I have so far discussed the condition of the Parallel Boundary, in 
view of a possible decision to permanently adjust the Boundary be- 
tween the States, upon the original line of 1786-7, giving its relation 
to the astronomical parallel of hititude 42° — the historical Boundary 
— at various points. 

'^I will now consider the subject of a readjustment of the entire 
Boundary upon the forty-second parallel, and in doing so shall confine 
myself to latitudes, leaving matters of longitude as not entering into 
the discussion. 

hi The astronomical location of a point upon the surface of the earth 
is solely an approximate location from a point above it in the celestial 
sphere, and its nearness to absolute accuracy depends upon the close- 
ness with which a vertical (or plumb) line can be fixed. It is also 
affected by "probable errors "in observation, both personal and in- 
strumental, which may be greatly reduced by repetition, but which 
cannot be entirely eliminated. To illustrate : the latitude of station 
"Travis," at the Delaware, from the final office computations is found 
to be 42° 00' 02". 66 ± 0".14 — that is, Avith a probable error of 0".14 
either to the north or south; speaking familiarly, the astronomical point 



32 [Assembly 

is somewhere within a range of 28 feet (double the error) of hititude. 
The n.eun probable error of the four stations of 1877 is O'Ml — nearly 
12 feet. 

Col. W. J. Twining, United States Engineer, chief astronomer on 
the part of the United States upon the survey of the Northern Bound- 
ary along the parallel of 4l)°, in his exhaustive report upon that survey, 
recently published by the Department of State, referring to this sub- 
ject, says: 

•'In regard to the accuracy of the instrumental line, a few words of 
explanation will be sufficient to indicate at about what amount the limit 
of error for the astronomical and other instrnmental work may be fixed. 

■" Of the 41 astronomical stations, four were observed jointly by the 
two Commissions, the difference in the determinations in each case 
being 32 feet, 29 feet, 7 feet, and 27 feet, respectively. As those were 
the first stations observed, and as the general quality of the work con- 
stantly impi'oved, it is probable that if the others had been observed 
jointly, a very considerable reduction in the average discrepancies 
would have been found. Of the remaining stations, 17 were observed 
by the United States, 19 by the English astronomei's, and one jointly by 
the North- Western Boundary Commission. The mean of the probable 
en-ors of the British stations was ± 0".088, and of those of the United 
States ± 0'^059. The average of the probable errors is thus a fraction 
over 7 feet. Although such mathematical probable en-ors are more 
or less fallacious owing to the fact that constant errors are not in- 
cluded, still they give a fair measure of the general character of the 
work done, and offer sutHcient ground for the conclusion that if re- 
observed, the difference in any one case would hardly exceed 25 feet, 
while a general mean would probably not exceed 7 feet. 

" In agreements between the chief astronomers of the Joint Com- 
mission in beginning the work, the limit of error was supposed to be 
less than 50 feet in the .astronomical positions and the geodetic con- 
nection between two neighboring stations. From the results of the 
work this may safely be taken as the extreme limit, while the avei'age 
errors, every thing included, will doubtless be much smaller." 

The New York Commissioners upon the original survey of our 
Parallel Boundary, in their report to Gov. Clinton (page 272, vol. I, 
Regents' Boundary Report), assures his Excellency that " no error of 
more thar. Iialf a Second of a Degree equal to Fifty and an half Feet 
could possibly have been committed at the Points where the Latitude 
was so detern)ined." 

But the greatest source of error in astronomical latitudes is tiie 
absolute impossibility, at most points ui)on the earth's surface, of fix- 
ing an absolutely vertical line. This error is supposed to be constant 
at each point, and cannot absolutely be eliminated by any scientific 
methods. It is technically denominated the "deflection of the })lumb- 
line," and is due to local attraction. 

The angles in an astronomical observation are measured from a 
"plumb-line " of infinite length, and an imperceptible variation in 
it will have a perceptible effect upon the point to be located from it. 
This subject is very fully discussed by Col. Twining in the report 
already refered to. 

He remarks, " all astronomical determinations are referred, by means 



No. 100.] 33 

of the level, to the direction of the resultant force of gravity. If, 
then, this direction is affected by the protrusion of mountain masses 
above the surface, .or by variations in the density of the earth's 
crust below the surface, each astronomical determination will be in 
error by tlie amount of such deflection. Science affords only approxi- 
mate methods of correcting these errors, and they are of such diffi- 
cult and doubtful application as to be of no practical use, except in 
ex ti-eme cases, and for exceptional ]iuri)oses. In a Iriangulation, the 
relation of the various points dejienfls solely on the measurement of 
horizontal angles and is not api)recial)ly atTected by local disturbances, 
though tht^ whole system will br in error by the amount of the error 
in the position of the astronomical station to which it is referred." 

" Local deflections of the jilumb-liiie, due to the attraction of com- 
paratively small masses, is argued from the general law of attraction, 
from direct experiment, and from the lack of agreement between the 
astronomical and geodetic determinations of the relation of points on 
the earth's surface as developed by the measurement of certain merid- 
ianal arcs, which discrepancies exceed in amount any possible instru- 
mental error, or error of calculation." Also " the station errors" — 
as this discrepancy between succeeding astronomical points is desig- 
nated — " aft'ect the azimuths between the different stations by a va- 
riable quantity, but in every case by an amount sufficient to be easily 
appi'eciable with ordinary surveying instruments." 

The geodetic, or true ])arallel of latitude, 42 , is the " line of inter- 
section of the surface of the earth by a cone whose apex is at the 
center of normals " of that latitude. At the level of the sea it is a 
circle. l)ut a parallel deduced from astronomical determination at 
intervals, or the practical astronomical parallel, is an irregular curve, 
the amount of ii'regularity mainly depending upon the amount of 
local deflection of the plumb-line at the various stations. The extent 
of the deflections may be determined geodetically. 

It will be interesting in this connection to refer a little in detail to 
the report upon the Northern Boundary before quoted : 

This Boundary, as stated before, is upon the forty-ninth parallel of 
latitude, and the late survey covered a distance of about 850 miles 
westward from the Lake of the Woods. In this distance were 41 
astronomical stations. 

The "station-error "of each station — which is made up principally of 
the error occasioned by the deflection of the plumb-line — was deter- 
mined by running a right angle to the meridian from the station to a 
point opposite tlie next station, and the difference between the measured 
offset and the calculated oft'set to the curve of tlie parallel showed the 
amount of deflection. Referred to a mean of the parallel, the accumula- 
tion of errors reached a northern maximum of about 600 feet at a station 
about G50 miles from the initial point, with a deflection to the north of the 
preceding (east) station of 439 feet, in a distance of 2G| miles. This 
extreme deflection is accounted for by the influence of the mass of a 
range of hills (mountains) north of the Boundary. Beyond this point 
the'attraction of the immense masses of the three buttes of the Sweet 
Grass Hills gradually draws the astronomical parallel to the south at the 
pretty uniform rate of about 14 feet to the mile for about 100 miles. 
When the maximum southerly deflection of SOO feet is reached, oppo- 
[Assem. Doc. No. 100.] 5 



34 [Assembly 

site the west bntte, an extreme variation of 1,400 feet (13 ".89). The 
greatest disci'epancy hetween two adjficent stations occurs at this point, 
when the phunb-hne relieved from the influence of the buttes, appar- 
ently swings back to the mean vertical, making a discrepancy to the 
north, of 738 feet (7".28) in adistanceof 20f miles — nearly 30 feet to 
the mile — causing an angle or deflection to the right (north) in the 
Boundary as located, of over half a degree. There occur few greater 
deflections in our Parallel Boundary as originally fixed. I have referred 
above to. the most marked discrepancies upon the Northern Boundary 
of the United States. There are othei's nearly as striking, and the 
general direction of the astronomical parallel is a very irregular one, 
the deflections being rather indiscriminately toward both the north and 
south ; but by an examination of the topogi'aphical and geological 
structure of the country through which it passes, the greater propor- 
tion o! the errors are readily accounted foi'. 

Eeturning to our own Boundary. Although we iiave no immense 
ranges of mountains, or enormous geological masses adjacent to the 
Boundary upon one side or the other, of sufficient density to create 
any remarkable disturbance of this nature, yet the country, through 
which the Boundary passes, is of sufficiently broken nature to produce 
the same effects in a moderate degree. It certainly is more broken in 
its character, over two-thirds of its extent, than that of a greater pro- 
portion of the territory through which the United States Boundary 
passes. 

That there must be such disturbances there can be no doubt, but we 
have no data from which their extent may be even approximately esti- 
mated, or even the direction toward which the deflection tends. Still, I 
think we are sufficiently acquainted with the topographical and geologi- 
cal characteristics on either side to institute some sort of a theory. Theory, 
like the use of the compass in extended surveys, is but an improved 
method of guessing, and like the use of. the compass, it will sometimes 
produce quite satisi'actory results, especially where there are no more 
accurate methods by which they can be tested. The geological struc- 
ture of this section is quite homogeneous, and there is probably not 
enough irregularity in its texture immediately adjacent to the Bound- 
ary to produce very much greater effect in one direction than in the 
other. It is found, however, that distant masses have, in many 
instances, a greater effect upon the plumb-line than less dense masses 
nearer at hand. By a comparison of the topographical and geological 
features of New York and Pennsylvania it is evident that the general 
deflection of the plumb-line (referring to latitude solely) will be 
southerly. At some of the particular points occupied by the astronomi- 
cal stations the influence of the Pennsylvania mountains is certainly 
felt more than at others. 

At the extreme easterly station, "Travis," the influence of imme- 
diate minor masses may be southerly. It is upon the bottom of the 
deep, narrow valley of the Delaware, the southerly side of which is 
here steep and rocky, almost precipitous, while the northerly edge of 
the valley is less abrupt and very much broken. The range of moun- 
tains which forms the dividing ridge between this valley and the Sus- 
quehanna would still more tend to cause a deflection south-westerly. 
At station " Finn," the same range, and its nearer mountainous spurs, 
has a similai- southerly influence, while at " Little Meadows," situated 



No. 100.] 33 

in the deep basin of the Apalachin, which crosses the line almost at 
right angles, the phimb-liiie swings back to more nearly its normal 
direction. The hills bordering this valley, although high, are nni- 
form in their characteristics, and the mountain raug-es are too far to 
the south to make their influence very perceptibly felt. At " Wa- 
verly," situated in the broad " Chemung Flats," with no immediate 
mass to affect it, the influence of the Alleghanies begins to act upon 
the line, and this continues at all the stations west of this point as 
far as Corydon. At stat.ion " Ceres," this southerly attraction is 
probably neutralized in a great measure, and perhaps entirely over- 
come by the northerly influence of the dividing ridge between the 
Genesee and Allegany rivers. So, also, at station " Lawrenceville," is 
the southerly influence partially neutralized. At stations " Sugar 
Grove " and " Clark," situated in the high undulating country north- 
west of the Allegany, the plumb-line is probably affected but little, 
although the influence, if any, is southerly, especially at the latter 
station. The discrepancy in latitude at Dr. Peters' station, near the 
lake, upon the Meridian Boundary, might be partially accounted for 
upon this theory. Here then must, undoubtedly, be a considerable 
south-easterly deflection. 

The mean of the astronomical parallel for the 13 stations will, 
probably, be found south of the geodetic parallel of 42°. I am satis- 
fied that the astronomical parallel at " Little Meadows " is north of a 
mean parallel between '' Finn " and '• Wavcrly." A computation of its 
position from my field-notes, referred to lines at right angles with the 
meridian at each of the last-named stations, shows this. 

Col. Twining, in the report referred to above, says: " If it were 
desired to lay out upon the surface of the earth a mathematical circle 
of latitude, the relative positions would be made to depend upon a 
series of triangles, referred to a measured base and a mean astronomi- 
cal position. But in the definition of a circle of latitude for the ]nir- 
poses of a boundary, practical rather than mathematical considerations 
determine the methods to be followed. The ruling conditions may be 
briefly stated. The boundary must be clearly delined by visible mon- 
uments, and the positions of these marks must be such that, in case of 
their loss, the points can be easily and accurately recovered. The only 
simple method of recovery is by astronomical observation, and since the 
local deflections of the plumb-line are supposed not to vary for long 
periods of time, the process is easy and accurate." 

We have already seen how nearly two independent determinations 
of the same point upon the forty-ninth parallel agreed in result. A third 
determination would probably result differently from both. The 13 
stations upon our Boundary were all occupied and observed by tjie same 
observer, and with the same instrument, and the probable personal 
and instrumental ei'rors are doubtless uniform. Another observer with 
another instiliment might now occupy the same stations, with results 
differing from 7 to 32 feet, as in the case of the stations upon the 
British Boundary. These are minor differences compared Avith the 
possible differences which might result from observations taken, say 
" 100 years hence." 

The discrepancy in the latitude and longitude of the Lake Erie mon- 
ument, referred in my report for 1878, is an instance of the wide differ- 
ence which may occur ]>etween two results at the same point. 



36 [ASSEMBLT 

Some of the stations occui^ied upon the present survey are at or 
near (in longitude) points at which the parallel of 42° was fixed in the 
origiiuil survey. At station '• Travis" the old position is lost, but it 
is approximately known . At " Little Meadows," " Lawrenceville," and 
" Austinburg " the monument points are lost, but can readily be fixed. 
At the other points the old reference stones yet remain. The follow- 
ing tabulation exhibits the distance of the astronomical parallel as 
found at these stations in 1877-9 north ( + ) or south ( — ) of the 
parallel ns marked in 1774, 1786-7 : 

Station " Travis " (1774 and 1877) -170± feet. 

Station '' Finn " (1786 and ] 877) +(534 

Station "Little Meadows" (1786 and 1879) +5 

Station " Waverly " (1786 and 1879) —144 

Station " Lawrenceville " (1786 and 1879) — 120± 

Station "Austinburg" (1787 and 1879) — 145± 

Station " Tuna Valley " (1787 and 1879) ; -414 " 

Station "Clark" (1877) is about 3^ miles east of the site of the 
original ninth latitude stone of 1787, but has never been connected with 
it; the pai-allel of 1877 is probably about 120 feetsontli of that of 1787. 
The remaining latitude stones of 1787, the sixth, between "Genesee 
Valley " and " Ceres," and the eighth, between " Corydon " and "Sugar 
Grove," can only be compared by interpolating the parallel of 1879 
with the following results: 

Sixth, parallel of 1879 is — 30 feet. 

Eighth, " " " " _ _230 " 

No doubt the methods of one hundred years ago were not as perfect 
as now, the positions of the stars not as well known, nor the instru- 
ments as accurate. We are also very well satisfied that the observations 
in 1787 must have been hajstily taken. Therefore this comparison of 
the results may be taken with a large allowance for " contingencies." 

If the important geodetic survey of the State of New York, now in 
progress, is continued, and the projected series of triangles for the 
measurement of an arc of the meridian be extended north across 
Pennsylvania by the United States Coast Survey, we shall before the 
lapse of ten years be able to fix the absolute position of the geodetic 
parallel of 42°, which is a true curve, parallel with the Equator, with 
no station errors, and but a minimum of probable errors, to be pro- 
vided against. 

Taking into consideration the irregular and uncertain nature of the 
parallel as fixed by astronomical methods, as occasioned by those 
known and unknown errors, the Boundary, if it were changed to it, 
would hardly be more satisfactory than the" present eccentric line, 
when in the near future, a more nearly absolute accurate survey may 
possibly prove that the actual parallel of 42° is somewhere else. 

A mean astronomical parallel can hardly be more satisfactory. It 
would be more nearly a regular curve, but it would simply be the 
mean of a few results along an arc of but 1^ per cent of the entire 
circle, with the probability, from the excess of the deflection of the 
vertical toward the south, of being south of the true parallel; a result 



No. iOO.] 37 

which might be considered more favorable to New York which would 
be quite as unsatisiactory us the other when the true parallel shall be 
known. Nor is it certain that this mean of the parallel would be 
exactly parallel with the Equator. 

I have thus casually discussed the })hysical objections to a change in 
the location of the Boundary at the present time. 

The social and political aspects of the case I will not refer to here. 

If this Boundary is to be adjusted upon the astronomical parallel of 
latitude 42" as found in the recent observations, the amount of field- 
work which will be required to fix the new positions of the monuments 
will bo greatly increased beyond that n'ecessary in readjusting it upon 
its original location. Witli the exception, perhaps, of the first section, 
— between stations " Travis " and "Finn" — and the tenth, from 
"Tuna Valley" to " Corydon," each of the various sections of the 
Parallel Boundary will of necessity require a careful resurvey of the 
points upon the forty-second parallel between the astronomical sta- 
tions are to be accurately fixed. Considering the probable uncertainty 
of the position of the astronomical parallel opposite- the various sta- 
tions, it might seem unnecessary to be so absolutely certain about the 
positions of the intermediate points. But I am positive in my opin- 
ion that having once settled upon the position of the parallel at each 
astronomical station, the curves between should be located with the 
greatest accuracy practicable. 

With the many contingencies attendant upon the rapid reconnais- 
sance — -which has been tlie character of the survey thus far — while 
the positions of most of the various points might not be materially 
changed from where they would be fixed from the surveys of the past 
three years, yet it would be preferable that an entirely independent 
locating survey should be projected. 

Then arise the objections to a projection of a new line through an 
old country, partially covered with valuable timber. Were the inter- 
mediate lines between the stations strait lines, there would be no 
diflticulty, by a proper adjustment of the initial or base lines, in run- 
ning them through with the least interference with the rights and 
privileges of the inhabitants. But the line to be fixed is a curve, with 
a middle ordinate — or offset from the chord in the center — of each 
section of 20 miles, of 60 feet. The most practicable method of locat- 
ing the section of the curve is from a transit line, which should either 
be its chord or a tangent. This would be entirely practical were it not 
for the amount of extra cutting of timber it would require. This in 
a new country would hardly be an objection. But all along this line 
are sections of woodland and considerable timber through which the 
base line • — which is practically independent of the line to be perma- 
nently located — would have to be cut. Were the axesot the hill-tops 
all about at right-angles with the line, even this would not be objec- 
tionable. But the character of the plateaus upon many of the sum- 
mits is such that in some instances the line would have to be cut for 
long distances through timber. Upon the reconnaissance, unnecessary 
chopping was avoided as far as possible, both to save time, and to 
avoid the destruction of timber. 

While it is quite desirable that a broad vista should be opened along 
the line proper, land proprietors would object to opening a vista upon 
a temporary random line. 



38 [Assembly 

MKiiiDiAN Boundary. 

The western Boundary of New York was fixed by treaty before the 
geograpliy of the country west of the Genesee river was very well 
known. It was to be in a meridian line drawn th''ough the " most west- 
erly bent or inclination of Lake Ontario," undoubtedly upon the su))- 
position that this point was within the limits of the United States. It 
wasexpected to strike the Parallel Boundary near mile-stone 190, some 
35 miles east of its final location.* A Ix'tter knowledge of the geogra- 
phy of the country developed the fact that the assumed " initial point " 
was many miles west of its supposed longitude, and far within the 
limits of the British Dominions. 

Although no field-notes or memoranda of the survey for the location 
of this line have ever been found, it is quite well understood that the 
meridian line was not fixed by projection south from the west end of 
Lake Ontario across Lake Erie, but by traversing the south shore of 
Lake Ontario eastward to the Niagara river, and along tiiis river and 
the south-easterly shore of Lake Erie, nntil a point upon the latter 
was reached, which, by com])utation, wassupi)osed to be due south from 
the starting point (Regents' Boundary Report, Vol. 1, p. 324). This 
involved a surve}^ of about 135 miles thi'ough a wild country, to find a 
starting i)oint for a line of less than 19 miles in length ; probably with 
a compass and chain, and considering all tlie unknown errors attributa- 
ble to unequal or irregular variation of the needle, etc., it is questiona- 
ble if this portion of the Boundary is fixed in the actual meridian 
sought. And this may not be known nntil the United States Geo- 
detic Survey of the lakes is much farther advanced. 

The line itself Avas undoubtedly very carefully run. I had no favor- 
able opportunity to test it by reference to the true meridian ; but I am 
satisfied from the results of the reconnaissance that in its general direc- 
tion it varies but little from a meridian. Yet at many points there are 
greater or less irregularities of the traditional line, which makes a re- 
adjustment of this portion of the Boundary quite essential. It will be 
seen from my report for 1878, that there is but one really permanent 
monument u|)on this line, and that was set in 1869, by rather crude 
methods. Of the original stones but two of them, mile-stones 3 and 
G, were found in place. The places of three others were probably 
identified. For the other positions we have only tradition, or some 
other equally reliable data to depend upon. 

The reconnaissance of 1878 was rapid, although careful, and if this 
portion of the Boundary is to be adjusted to the known and recognized 
[)oints found, this survey will answer all requirements. 

But I think it preferable that a new locating survey slnnild be mad(^ 
starting at the north end with a meridian lino, accurately fixed astro- 
nomically, which should be carefully ])rolonged southward by ti'ansit. 
As it progresses the requisite vista may be cut, and the monument 
points permanently fixed wherever re(piired. 

County and Town Corners. 
Intersecting the State Boundary at various points, are 7 boundary 
* See Vol. 1, Regents' Boundary Report, pages 387-8. 



No. 100.) 39 

lines of counties in New York, and 7 in Pennsylvania ; 30 town lines 
in New York, and 30 in Pennsylvania. 

Streams form two of the county boundaries. Of the other intersec- 
tions' of county lines 4 are at mile-stones, and the remainder, with 
one exception, aiv marked by stakes, stone i)iles, and one by a large 
pine stump; the excei^tion, the corner of Steuben and Allegany coun- 
ties in New York, is only indicated by the intersection of rail fences; 
its position may readily be ilxed, however, from the original lield-notes 
of the Phelps and (ioi-hani Purchase, by measurement I'rom mile- 
stone 12'^. 

Of the town line intersections, H are indicated by streams, and 4 by 
roads which cross the line; 3 in New York and IG in Pennsylvania, 
occur at mile-stones and oi'iginal mile i)oints, and 3 in New York at 
other authentic monuments. Of the remainder, G in New York and 
4 in Pennsylvania have been identified as marked with stakes, while 
at nearly all the other points nothing has been found by which the 
corners could be identified, except in occasional instances the rude 
fences. 

During the j)rogress of the survey. I have endeavored to excite some 
interest in this subject among the supervisors of towns along the 
Boundary, particularly of those the corners of which could not be 
found, with a view to having measures taken to fix the various line 
intersections, so that they may be proi)erly marked, but with little 
success. The average town supervisor is apparently indifferent to the 
importance of such small matters. 

In most of the indefinite cases, the restoration of the town corners 
would not be difficult. In two or three instances, it would involve 
considerable work. Notably, that of the line between the towns of 
Owego and Nichols in Tioga county, New York. This is described in 
the Revised Statutes as a line drawn from the mouth of Owego creek 
south to the bounds of the county. It was run in 1824 in the vuig- 
netic meridian, which placed it considerably east of its j)roper loca- 
tion under a strict construction of the statutes. Its intersection with 
the State Boundary is now an unknown quantity, and I doubt if its 
location has been preserved, even by tradition, at other points. 

These 80 county and town line intersections should certainly be 
fixed and permanently marked, and this should be done at the same 
time that the other boundary monuments are placed. 

I think it quite desirable that some action should be taken by the 
Joint Commission to require the proper officers of the towns adjoining 
the Boundary to find and fix the intersections of these sub-bounda- 
ries, where they are not already known. 

MoisruMENTS. 

The character of the monuments and the points at which they 
should be placed may be left for an after-consideration. But it may 
not be here out of place to discuss the subject. 

The monuments placed upon the Boundary originally were tempo- 
rary affairs, and it is probable that the original Commission expected 
that they would soon be replaced by more permanent ones. That the 
first line run would be a temporary one seems to have been antici- 
pated by the Pennsylvania Legislature, in a resolution referred to at 



40 [Assembly 

page 285, vol. I, Regents' Boundary Kepurt. But the line, as fixed at 
that time, seems to have been made a permanent boundary by legal en- 
actment and usage, and the tenijiorary monuments placed to mark 
it seem to have l)een left to take care of themselves. 

To ]'ej)lace these, monuments of a really permanent character and en- 
during matei'ial should be used. The new monuments should be en- 
tirely unlike any of the native rocks along the Boundary. Then their 
presence would signify something to the most casual observer. 

One danger to which many of the old monuments are exposed, and 
from which numbers of them have suffei-ed, is tire in the woods. Mar- 
ble or limestone would rapidly crumble away under its influence. Iron 
monuments, if made in the ordinary way, a thin shell of cast-iron, 
would warp and crack under the influence of fire. 

I have objected to the ordinary hollow iron monument as liable to 
damage by fire. We have, from an actual occurrence, seen another 
danger to which monuinents so easily iiandled are exposed, that of 
theft. They may be readily abstracted for malicious purposes — to de- 
stroy their evidence — or for mercenary purposes — broken up they 
would be fairly marketable for old metal.* The greatest objection to a 
solid iron monument of the proper size would be its great weight. 
'J'he points at which many of the original stones were placed are so 
situated as to make -it difficult to use excessively heavy monuments. 
Still, a heavy post at one of these points would be very apt to stay 
when once properly placed in position. An objection to iron monu- 
ments, not a very serious one, however, might be raised by the average 
country surveyor, grounded upon the possible effects of the metal 
upon the workings of liis compass needle. 

My ])reference, however, is for granite monuments, similar in form, 
and set in the same manner as those used by the State Survey of New 
York. They would be less subject to serious injury by fire than any 
other stone which is usually used for such purposes. While heavy 
enough to answer all the requirements for permanent monuments, 
they are not so unwieldy as solid- iron monuments would be. Set in 
a. proper manner, there is no doubt that they will remain undisturbed. 
Even though the inscription should be defaced, the material would be 
a sufficient identification of the point. 

As to the points at which the monuments should be placed, I will 
simply repeat mv remarks at the conclusion of my Re]iort of Progress 
f or 1877:— 

"I have my doubts also of the necessity of keeping up ail the mile 
points with expensive monuments. As some of them are referred to 
in deeds and other conveyances affecting premises upon the Boundary, 
it would probably be requisite to replace the mile-stones, where neces- 
sary, with more permanent monuments of an inexpensive character. 
Most of the mile-stones which are referred to in 'deeds are among the 
number which have been moved or destroyed. 

•' But sim])ly viewing in the light of the permanent establishment 
of the Boundary as a line of jurisdiction, this would seem unnecessary. 
The greater proportion of the mile j)oints are in places practically in- 
accessible to the public, and cannot readily be found, except by per- 
sons. acquainted with their positions. 

* Several of the original monuments were taken away for building stone. 



No. lOO.J 41 

"My opinion is very decided, that the larger and more prominent* 
monuments should be set at each road intersection along the line. 
These would be more readily accessible to the otticers of the law, and 
to everybody interested in knowing the exact position of the Boundary. 
They could easily be found when looked for, and the expense of erec- 
tion would be much less than would be entailed in placing them upon 
many of the present mile points. They could tlien be phiced under 
the direct care and respon.sibility of the highway officers of various 
towns along the Boundary.'' 

The distances between the mile-stones, also, are of such variable 
lengths, that it would seem a useless expense to permanently preserve 
the points. 

A system of sufficient reference points for each monument itoint 
should be adopted, so that the point can readily be identified. And 
when the geodetic surveys of the adjoining States shall iiave reached 
this Boundary, each of these monuments may be located with greater 
certainty. 

Maps. 

I have prepared, to accompany this report, a series of skeleton maps 
showing the position of the various monuments upon the Parallel 
Boundary, as they relate to their i)robable original position, and to the 
astronomical parallel of latitude 42 , as fixed by the observations taken 
in 1877 and 1879. 

When the Boundary shall have been finally settled, and the monu- 
ments placed, separate maps of the sections adjoining the various 
border counties in each State, showing the location of all the monu- 
ments, should be tiled in the clerk's offices of the respective counties, 
together with full and com})lete descriptions of each and every monu- 
ment, with references for their identification. 

A considerable amount of office work yet remains, at this date, in 
comi)utations and finishing preliminary maps, which are being steadily 
progressed toward completion. 

Repectfully submitted, 

H. W. CLARKE, Civil Engineer, 

Survey 01' on the part of Neiu York. 

Syracuse, 25 Feb., 1880. 

Note (page 24). — Since the date of the above Report, the final re- 
sults from the astronomical observations have been received, and the 
results given on pages 24-35 are deduced from these, and may be ac- 
cepted as final. H. W. CLARKE. 

Syracuse, 1 June, 1880. 

* In my Report of Progress for 1877 this word is erroneously printed " perma- 
nent." 

[Assem. Doc. No. 100.] 6 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 107 735 1 



Erratum. 

In the report for 1877, page 51, 9th line, for "permanent " reail 
proininent. 



